Myanmar civil war (2021–present)
The Myanmar civil war, also called the Myanmar Spring Revolution or People's Defensive War, is an ongoing civil war following Myanmar's long-running insurgencies, which escalated significantly in response to the 2021 military coup d'état and the subsequent violent crackdown on anti-coup protests. As of January 2024, thousands of soldiers have surrendered without a fight, including six generals of the Tatmadaw. Some observers write that the Tatmadaw's forces remain "formidable and well-equipped", with "external allies and economic resources".
| Myanmar Civil War | |||||||||
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| Part of the Myanmar conflict | |||||||||
Military situation as of 15 January 2024: State Administration Council and allies National Unity Government and allies Karenni resistance forces
Other combatants For a detailed accurate up-to-date map, see here For a list of engagements, see here | |||||||||
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Allied ethnic armed organisations:
Other organizations: | |||||||||
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| Strength | |||||||||
| 100,000 (PDF, February 2024 estimate) and more than 100,000 (LDF and allied ethnic armed organisations, EAOs) | about 150,000 personnel; 70,000 combat troops (Tatmadaw, May 2023 estimate) | ||||||||
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As of March 2023, the United Nations (UN) estimated that since the coup in February 2022, 17.6 million people in Myanmar required humanitarian assistance, while 1.6 million were internally displaced, and over 55,000 civilian buildings had been destroyed. UNOCHA said that over 40,000 people had fled into neighboring countries such as India and Thailand.
As of October 2023 the Tatmadaw controlled under 40% of the country, although junta forces maintain this is false and that they still control around 2/3 of the country's 330 townships. In the second half of 2023, Chinland Defense Forces in the state of Chin had captured a majority of the state, with a few holdouts in urban areas and along the India-Myanmar border remaining. In October 2023, the Tatmadaw began facing manpower issues, with desertions and low morale being extremely common, coinciding with the PDF and Three Brotherhood Alliance's major rebel offensive in the west of the country, Operation 1027, which was successful in taking 80 bases, 220 junta positions and several towns by 28 November 2023.
October and November 2023 saw a series of counteroffensives, including Operation 1111 besieging the state capital of Loikaw and renewed conflict by anti-junta forces in northern Rakhine and Chin states. Operation 1027 would see the anti-junta forces seize the district-level town of Kawlin, Sagaing Region (later recaptured by junta forces) in early November 2023 as well as Laukkai, the capital of Kokang Self-Administered Zone, in early January 2024.