Junta 'losing control on the ground', Myanmar's opposition foreign minister says

Three years after the coup in Myanmar, the junta faces an armed rebellion from ethnic groups, backed by the NUG. The junta "are losing on the ground and they already lost people's support since day one. [They are] gradually losing practical control of the ground every day, it is very clear", Zin Mar Aung said.

The National Unity Government claims to control some parts of the country, but has not claimed a large city or major military infrastructure so far. "It's very difficult to say exactly, but we estimate that almost 60 percent of Myanmar's territory is under the control of the ethnic armed organisations and NUG-controlled areas. Altogether, almost 60 to 70 percent of the territory is under the control of the Federal Democratic Forces," she stated.

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In October 2023, an offensive led by several ethnic armed groups proved successful. "The military is weakened and many ethnic organisations are joining our revolutionary cause. On the ground, we are even setting up our local governance to substitute their governance system," Zin Mar Aung explained.

On the reports of mass surrenders within the regular army, she estimated that "almost 20,000 deserters are already on our list, but there might be more than that." The junta recently brought back mandatory military service through a conscription law. "It is the sign that they are losing, and also it is a false conscription law because they don't have the legal and political rights and authority to activate that law", she said.

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Zin Mar Aung explained that the cooperation between her organisation and ethnic rebel groups was