One glaring fact of the ongoing offensive against the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘north’ is that the Burma Army is concentrating most of its available strength at the front than in the rear, leaving many towns defenseless, according to both Thai and Shan sources.

Towns like Tangyan and Mongyai in the north and Kehsi, Mongnawng and Monghsu in the south have only a handful of soldiers and local village militiamen.

Mongnawng, the headquarters of Military Operations Command #2 (MOC 2), for instance, has only about 60 armed men to face any counter attack by the rebels:
10 policemen
10 fire fighters
5 armed civilian personnel
for inner security and a company of Infantry Battalion #9 for outer security.

“Burmese battalions are mostly company sizes, and companies platoon sizes,” said a retired SSA officer. “The best defense for the SSA North will be launching attacks on these towns.”

The SSA North, since Sunday, 13 March, has been under siege by the 2,000 strong Burma Army that is gradually tightening its cordon against the defenders. The group has been given an ultimatum to surrender by All Fool’s Day, 1 April.