Regime steps up attacks to regain lost territory

By Admin 10 Oct 2025

DMG Newsroom

10 October 2025, Mrauk-U

Myanmar’s military regime is ramping up offensives in an effort to regain control of territories lost to anti-junta forces across the country.
 
The regime has been intensifying its attacks in northern Shan, Kayin and Arakan states, and Magway, Bago, Mandalay, and Sagaing regions, since early September.
 
Junta forces are trying to regain control of militarily important areas, including some townships where elections are scheduled to be held in December.
 
“The military regime will be more secure for the election if it can regain control of more territory, so this is a time when we must do our best to control the territory. The military regime’s offensives are likely to become more intense,” said an Arakanese politician.
 
The regime recaptured the town of Kyaukme on the Mandalay-Lashio-Muse Road on October 1 and is reportedly launching an offensive on Hsipaw, which is controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).
 
The military regime has been conducting a heavy offensive against Lay Kay Kaw Myothit in Myawaddy Township, Kayin State, since September, forcing the Karen National Union (KNU) to withdraw from about half of the town.
 
Lay Kay Kaw Myothit is said to be a strategically important location for the entire Thai-Myanmar border in southern Myawaddy Township.
 
The military regime is also attacking Bamauk Town in Sagaing Region, which was jointly seized by the People Defense Force under the National Unity Government and revolutionary forces, and is currently controlling Khamoe and Settaw villages, about 5 miles from the town.
 
The military regime is conducting airstrikes and mass operations in Bago, Magway, and Ayeyarwady regions, where it is battling the Arakan Army (AA), and is also attempting to penetrate into Arakan State via the Minbu-Ann and Padaung-Taungup roads.
 
“The military regime is now attacking with more reinforcements in Bago and Magway Region. There have been many casualties and desertions in the military columns, but they will soon launch another offensive. The military regime is believed to be mainly trying to penetrate Ann and Taungup,” a military source in Magway told DMG.
 
The junta reportedly ordered departmental staff from these areas to return to their homes in September as it plans to retake control of Ann, Taungup, Thandwe and Gwa townships and hold elections. It is also conducting offensives to retake the cities it relinquished before the election, as it seeks to gain international recognition by holding elections to address the political crisis it is facing.
 
“The military regime is seen reinforcing the fighting in various areas, so it seems that it will intensify its attacks in various areas before the election. The military regime’s offensive is not impressive, but the revolutionary forces should not underestimate it,” Captain Zin Yaw, a participant in the Civil Disobedience Movement, told DMG.
 
The regime lost nearly 100 towns to resistance forces in Shan, Kachin, Kayah, Kayah, Chin, Arakan states, and Sagaing and Mandalay regions, after “Operation 1027” was launched by the Three Brotherhood Alliance in October 2023.
 
The military regime has been recruiting at a rate of 5,000 new recruits per military training batch since May 2024 and sending them to the front lines. It has recaptured the towns of Kyaukme, Moebye, Nawnghkio, Thabeikkyin, Kawlin, Kani, Lashio, Hsiseng and Myawaddy, which were captured by anti-regime forces.