The acting leader of Myanmar’s government-in-exile said resistance forces are in control of about 60% of the country’s territory and poised to threaten the ruling junta in key strongholds while fighting continues to rage across the Southeast Asian nation.
Violence has intensified in Myanmar as the military led by Min Aung Hlaing, facing a crumbling economy and growing signs of dissent within his regime, struggles to keep up with a multi-front conflict from several armed ethnic groups. A shadow government — allied with ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and formed after the 2021 coup, along with other armed ethnic groups — has been ramping up ground attacks with an eye on new military operations, including near the capital city of Naypyidaw.
"It has been more than two years since we started the people’s defense war. Now, cooperation between PDFs and ethnic revolutionary forces are yielding good results,” Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of the exiled National Unity Government, said in an interview Thursday, referring to his armed wing. "We are now in a position to even threaten Naypyidaw.”