Due to attacks by various ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and revolutionary forces, the military junta has lost control over several territories. While some areas have been reclaimed due to pressure from neighboring powerful states, other regions remain under the control of revolutionary forces, though the military has not completely collapsed even after more than five years in power.
As a result, political forces are considering new strategies to resist and fight the military junta, including forming new alliances.
U Myo Kyaw, spokesperson for the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), said that in attacking the junta, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Arakan Army (AA) are currently the most effective forces and should serve as the central core around which a new alliance is formed.
He told IMNA that while it is difficult to unify troops under the Spring Revolution forces, centering coordination around the KIA and AA could create a new pathway for resistance.
He explained: “Moving forward, the main unity lies in these groups—they have strong cohesion, and the indigenous revolutionary organizations follow a unified command. You can rely on them and form a coalition there. Roughly speaking, the Kachin, the Rakhine AA, and similar groups should be given special focus. Using this new alliance, if coordination and solidarity can be strengthened, a new pathway can emerge.”
The KIA is currently fighting alongside revolutionary forces in northern Myanmar and Sagaing, controlling several towns and territories. Similarly, the AA controls 14 townships in Chin State’s Paletwa area and Rakhine State.
Territories in Kachin, Sagaing, Chin, and Rakhine regions in northwest Ayeyarwady are being shaped by these revolutionary forces, creating new patterns of control under which the military junta is being resisted.
Alongside the KIA, AA, and Chin revolutionary forces, the military presence in Sagaing and Magway remains significant, while in Shan State, the MNDAA and TNLA have observed ceasefires. However, in the northwest, areas under their control continue to be strongholds, according to military analyst CDM Brigadier General Zin Yaw.
He said: “Even though the MNDAA and TNLA have ceased hostilities in Shan State, in the western regions along the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River, control remains strong. The Kachin, Chin, and Rakhine forces, along with the new Spring Revolution units, are united, coordinated, and trustworthy, which contributes to their success. If this network continues to coordinate and meet the necessary requirements, the entire northwest could potentially become a territory free from junta control.”
Currently, the KIA/KIO are cooperating with revolutionary forces in Sagaing, engaging in active combat while maintaining vigilance over Kachin strongholds, according to Lieutenant General Gun Maw, Vice Chairman of the Kachin Independence Council (KIC).
He also noted that the KIA aims to establish secure bases in key Sagaing territories, including Kawlin, Katha, and Kanbalu.
Meanwhile, AA operations have extended beyond Rakhine State into Ayeyarwady and Magway, and combined KIA-AA units are actively engaging junta forces in several towns within Sagaing.
