"Myanmar Rebels Seize Strategic Town at Chinese Border"

Myanmar's military has conceded the loss of Laukkaing, a strategic city on the border with China, to the Three Brotherhood Alliance, an ethnic armed coalition. This marks a significant setback for the military, which has been struggling against both pro-democracy forces and ethnic armed groups since the 2021 coup. The alliance, which includes the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, has captured a large cache of weapons and claims to have made the Kokang region free from military rule. The situation has also drawn concern from China, especially after artillery shells landed in Chinese territory, injuring five people. The alliance's offensive is seen as a fight against military rule and organized crime, with over 40,000 Chinese nationals involved in cyberscam operations being repatriated recently.