According to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, government forces used coordinated ground and air tactics to seize full control of Nawnghkio, located about 40 kilometers from Pyin Oo Lwin—the country’s main army training center—and 80 kilometers from Mandalay. The report included celebratory images of troops raising rifles, though it admitted the campaign had cost the lives of officers and enlisted men.

The battle underscores Nawnghkio’s strategic importance as a gateway for troop movement and logistics between central Myanmar and the Chinese border. The military had been attempting to retake the area since the Three Brotherhood Alliance launched its offensive in October 2023.

The TNLA, which forms part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance alongside the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army, did not acknowledge defeat but stated it had relocated its administrative functions to safer locations. The alliance continues to challenge the military government across multiple fronts, often coordinating with the People’s Defence Force, a pro-democracy armed network formed after the 2021 coup.

Despite significant territorial gains by rebels in recent months—including the temporary capture of Lashio—the military retains control over major population centers and maintains air superiority. Analysts say the return of Nawnghkio does not alter the broader trajectory of Myanmar’s grinding civil war, now in its fourth year.