Myanmar’s junta has lost communications with senior officers at a major military base near the Chinese border, in a rare admission of battlefield failure after rebels announced they had taken control of the key regional army headquarters. Junta troops have been unable to contact an undisclosed number of officers at the besieged northeastern regional command, military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said Monday, following weeks of intense fighting in and around the town. “The rapid fall of the Myanmar army’s Northeastern Command makes it fully clear to the ranks of the resistance and to neighboring countries just how weak the Myanmar military has become,” said Jason Tower at the United States Institute of Peace. “For Min Aung Hlaing, the implications are existential,” he said, referring to the embattled junta chief. “We will also continue to fight as allies until the military falls,” said the statement from the Kachin, Karen and Chin groups.

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Persons: Zaw Min Tun, ”, Myanmar’s, “ MNDAA, Lashio, Jason Tower, Aung, “, Chin Organizations: Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Junta, Northeastern Command, Myanmar, United States Institute of Peace, Sunday Locations: Lashio, “, Shan, Beijing, China, Myanmar, Thai, Kachin