"Myanmar Junta Abandons Chinese Pipeline Amid Resistance Attacks" 16 May 2025

Myanmar’s junta has abandoned an off-take station for the Chinese oil and gas pipelines in Mandalay Region after eight simultaneous resistance attacks on Thursday.

Around 80 junta troops were attacked at an off-take station east of Natogyi town on Thursday morning, killing several soldiers and detaining another, [...] one resistance fighter was killed.

Resistance troops retreated when the regime used a Chinese-made Y12 airplane and a fighter jet to defend the positions, according to the source.

The guard post was abandoned when resistance forces returned on Friday.

On Thursday morning, resistance groups also attacked Wetlu village police station, about 14km north of the Natogyi base.

Natogyi People’s Defense Force declined to comment to The Irrawaddy while fighting was ongoing.

A junta Y12 dropped around 20 bombs on Thakyin village and four bombs on Ya Bo village in Ngazun Township, killing three residents and cows and injuring five others, resistance groups told the media.

In August last year, resistance groups conducted the Myingyan Special Operation with coordinated attacks on regime positions in Myingyan, Taung Tha and Natogyi townships.

The groups seized two regime positions guarding pipeline off-take stations at the entrances of Taung Tha and Natogyi towns.