An escalation of the conflict in northern Myanmar has involved some of the heaviest fighting in the country since the 1980s. However, despite the expansion and modernisation of the armed forces, or Tatmadaw, over the past two decades and an unprecedented commitment of resources, the latest offensive in Kachin state is proving extremely costly and not unfolding as planned. Targeted broadly at the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) at Laiza on the Chinese border, Operation 'Thunderbolt' appears aimed at either bludgeoning the KIA back to the negotiating table or, failing that, at least decapitating the insurgency with a seizure of its command centre, which would permit a declaration of victory over scattered Kachin forces.
展开▼
