CNI News
21 November 2025
Analysts of military and political affairs say the Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) is facing several obstacles in its efforts to retake Banmauk, a town in northern Sagaing Region.
Banmauk was attacked on September 15, 2025, by joint forces of the KIA, PDF, and Kadu fighters, and was captured on September 20.
The SNA’s current slowdown in offensive operations to retake Banmauk may be due to shortages of weapons and ammunition, said Sai Htay Aung, Chairman of the Tai Leng (Shanni) Nationalities Development Party (TNDP), speaking to CNI News.
He said the expansion of KIA-controlled territory in upper Sagaing Region depends largely on the SNA’s military capability.
Sai Htay Aung said: “From what I know, the SNA is short on weapons in Banmauk. Another issue is that the jammers the KIA-allied forces got from Indaw are extremely effective. The Tatmadaw’s drones cannot get past those jammers, so military activity around Banmauk has basically stalled. Near Banmauk, the SNA has advanced as close as one mile away. They have reached that point, but recapturing the town itself remains difficult.”
KIA-PDF-Kadu joint forces after capturing Banmauk
“Another factor is that many Shanni civilians live in Banmauk. If the SNA launched a full assault, local homes could be burned or destroyed, so they have to act cautiously. That is also why their operations appear paused. Prolonged fighting is never good, but when war breaks out, the best outcome is to end it quickly with minimal civilian harm. Whether KIA expands its territory or not depends on how strongly the SNA can fight. If the Shanni Army can win, KIA’s control will shrink. If not, KIA-held areas will expand.”
The SNA is a Shanni armed organization operating from central to northern Sagaing Region.
Because the SNA considers Banmauk to be part of its home territory, it is expected to launch a counter-offensive once its strength is restored, according to political analyst Sai Main.
Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA)
He said:“Historically, ethnic tensions between Shanni and KIA have always been present. If these issues are not solved with sincerity, they may worsen. The Shanni currently have significant strength in that area. Meanwhile, KIA-led forces, including PDFs and resistance groups, are fighting heavily there. There is no sign the fighting will decrease soon. As long as the SAC and KIA-PDF coalition keep fighting, SNA will also continue clashing with KIA-PDF forces in that region. Fighting goes back and forth—advance, retreat, counterattack. That’s normal. Since Banmauk is regarded as the SNA’s own town, they will certainly attempt to recapture it once they regain strength. But for now, it is difficult to say how far they can go.”
The KIA-led coalition attacked Banmauk on September 15, 2025, at a time when the Myanmar military presence there was weakened, and succeeded in capturing the town on September 20.
As a result of the fighting, Kadu villagers fled from their villages near Banmauk to SNA-controlled areas west of the town.
Banmauk’s population is majority Shanni, followed by Kadu as the second-largest group.
Analysts say KIA’s capture of Banmauk has made it easier for them to send supplies, personnel, and weapons into the upper Sagaing Region.
Currently, the SNA controls the western outskirts of Banmauk and is positioned about one mile from the town, preparing for a possible counterattack to retake it.
