CNI News
February 16, 2026
Chairman of the State Security and Peace Council, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, stated that many are using politics as a pretext to illegally extract national resources for their own personal benefit within the Sagaing Region.
He delivered these remarks during a meeting with town elders and departmental officials in Homalin, Upper Sagaing Region, on February 15, 2026.
The Senior General noted that the prevalence of unrest in certain areas of Sagaing is fundamentally linked to a lack of knowledge and technical education.
He emphasized that while political disagreements should be resolved through political channels, groups are instead resorting to acts of terrorism.
Resource Exploitation: He alleged that national resources are being illegally extracted on a large scale under the guise of political movements.
He claimed that armed groups are using force to extort money from local residents for personal gain, creating a heavy burden on the public. He urged the community to cooperate with relevant authorities to combat these activities.
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is reportedly leading the "Three Ks" (Kanbalu, Kawlin, Katha) operation to seize control of the region by supplying arms and ammunition to several groups, including:
PDF, NUG, AA, CNF, ABSDF, Chin PDF, KNA-B, ENNO/ENDA, and Naga PDF.
According to KIA statements, their objective is to control Sagaing and establish a continuous "liberated zone" connecting Kachin State, Sagaing Region, Chin State, and Rakhine State across Northwest Myanmar. This would serve as a launchpad to control Magway and Mandalay Regions.
Reports from regional sources and the news desk indicate a deteriorating situation on the ground:
Armed groups operating in Sagaing are sustaining themselves by mining/selling local resources and collecting taxes from the population.
Some organizations along the Sagaing-India border are reportedly involved in the smuggling of gold, narcotics, and weaponry.
Due to intense armed conflict, both water and land transport routes have become difficult to navigate. This has led to:
Skyrocketing commodity prices. Exorbitant transportation costs for civilians.
