Myanmar’s ruling junta is facing a significant challenge as it has lost control over vast territories and access to international borders, according to two reports released on Thursday. Since the military coup in February 2021, the country has been in turmoil, with widespread protests and a brutal crackdown leading to an armed resistance movement.
The reports indicate that the junta has lost authority over townships covering 86% of the country’s territory, home to 67% of the population. This loss of control has allowed ethnic armed groups to expand and consolidate regions under their control, posing a serious threat to the military’s grip on power.
Operation 1027, a coordinated offensive by three ethnic armies last October, exposed the weakened state of the military, leading to further losses of territory along the country’s borders. The ethnic armed groups have been successful in pushing the junta out of peripheral areas, establishing autonomous statelets in the process.
The mounting losses and growing discontent among the elite in the capital have raised doubts about junta chief Min Aung Hlaing’s future. While he has loyal officers in senior ranks, there is a possibility of a plot to remove him due to the level of discontent.
With internal displacement reaching a record high and over three million people forced out of their homes, the international community is urged to engage with resistance groups and provide urgent aid to the people of Myanmar. The situation in Myanmar remains volatile, with the junta struggling to maintain control as ethnic armed groups continue to gain ground.