Myanmar rebel group seizes town on key highway to China

Myanmar ethnic minority fighters seize town along key trade highway to China, dealing blow to military.

Myanmar ethnic minority fighters said on July 10 they had seized a town along a key trade highway to China following days of clashes, in another blow to the military.

Northern Shan State has been rocked by fighting since late last month, when an alliance of ethnic armed groups renewed an offensive against the military along the highway to China's Yunnan province.

The clashes have shredded a Beijing-brokered truce that in January halted an offensive by the alliance of the Arakan Army (AA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).

The town of Naungcho "is totally ours", General Tar Bhone Kyaw of the TNLA said.

Earlier on Wednesday, a military source said that ethnic minority fighters were in control of "most" of the town.

AFP was unable to reach a junta spokesman for comment.

Naungcho is around 50 km down the highway from the former British hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin, home to the military's elite officer training academy.