The military council is preparing to launch operations to recapture Kyaukme and Hsipaw townships in northern Shan State, which are currently under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). According to military sources in Naypyidaw and civil service circles in Lashio, preparations include forming township election commissions and instructing all non-CDM staff to be ready to resume their duties. The military council has recently established election commissions for both Hsipaw and Kyaukme townships, which are temporarily based in Lashio city.
Military sources indicate that the council is planning to retake Hsipaw and Kyaukme townships before the scheduled election on December 28. Non-CDM staff have been notified that Kyaukme township will also be recaptured soon. Secret directives have been issued requiring all temporarily displaced Non-CDM staff from Northern Shan, Rakhine, Sagaing, and Chin states to prepare for returning to their respective townships for duty. The military has established temporary offices in Lashio for departmental staff from Hsipaw, Kyaukme, Kutkai, and other lost townships and districts in northern Shan State, with some temporary offices also operating in Taunggyi.
These temporary offices continue to function under the direction of Naypyidaw and state government authorities, carrying out regular administrative duties while preparing for election-related processes. Staff have been specifically instructed to conduct advance training and demonstrations with Myanmar electronic voting machines. Although the military council recently announced 56 townships where elections would not be held, notably Hsipaw and Kyaukme townships were not included in this list. According to civil service sources in Lashio, this indicates the military council’s determination to forcibly recapture these townships to ensure elections can be held there, regardless of the current security situation and practical challenges on the ground.
