Under the clouds of northern Myanmar, an unusual protest is unfolding. Since October 2023, tensions between the Kokang Allied Army and the Myanmar government army have reached a critical point. Despite their poor equipment and scarcity of troops, the Kokang Allied Army displayed incredible combat effectiveness. In this seemingly unequal confrontation, they have demonstrated that small countries have great potential.
As the sun showed its first rays in the east, the cheers of the Kokang Confederate soldiers after their victory resounded outside the city of Lao Cai. In just two months, they had conquered the area almost devastatingly. And at the beginning of the new year of 2024, they have achieved a complete victory as if they were in a no-man's land. In desperation, the Burmese army surrendered and handed over a large amount of weapons and equipment to the Kokang Allied Army: including 2,043 firearms, 139 motorcycles, 120 small cars and 42 large vehicles.
The successive victories not only added a halo to the Kokang Allied forces, but also meant that the Burmese government forces in and around Lao Cai had been completely annihilated. The Kokang allies captured the Bai family's compound in a surprising manner, and although Bai had fled ahead of schedule, this symbolic victory marked the rapid collapse of the power of the wire fraud syndicate in the area under their control.
Although the members of the wire fraud syndicate have not been completely eliminated, the Kokang Allied Forces are sparing no effort to clean up and restore social order. In addition to this, there are also other national armed forces that are also actively acting. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) once again showed its toughness, successfully shooting down a helicopter in an engagement with Burmese government forces.
As the tide tilts in favor of the Kokang allies, some observers have begun to speculate about how they will use the momentum to achieve more ambitious goals. Perhaps the ultimate goal will be to fully restore the influence and territorial reach that the Kokang region once once had.
But equally, as we celebrate and plan for the future, we cannot ignore the fact that the trauma of war is deep and long-lasting. Although the fighting has ceased for the time being, it will take time to rebuild homes, repair hearts and promote reconciliation among communities.
After months of intense and brutal fighting, the Kokang Alliance achieved a phased victory. But the real challenge has just begun – how to turn this hard-won victory into lasting peace and stability? For a region that has been ravaged by war for many years, this is a question that everyone should ponder and work together to answer.
Looking to the future, with the help of the international community and regional partners, a new Kokang that is stable, prosperous, and tolerant of diverse cultural and ethnic differences is expected to be built. Only by turning the past strife and war into history can we truly open the door to a new era.