Twelve local armed resistance groups have formed an alliance in Pale Township, Yinmabin District, Sagaing Region on January 22 under the guidance of the Township People's Defense Force (Pa Ka Pha) in accordance with the policy of the underground National Unity Government (NUG).

Bo Naga, the leader of the Pale Township-based PPDF, said his group would not join the alliance for this time being.

PPDF leader Bo Naga said, "I have a different outlook on the revolution. As I did not even know about the Pa Ka Pha thoroughly, our group is not under that alliance. People will be satisfied if I do my best for the sake of my country and people even if I do not go under the Pa Ka Pha guidance.”

“People are participating in revolution with various forms across the country. The main thing is we always stand with our country and our elected government,” he told Mizzima.

An official from the Pale Township People's Defense Force (Pa Ka Pha) told Mizzima that there are difficulties forming battalions and units in Pale township. He said that the group is affiliated with the shadow NUG and wants to show unity.

"We have invited all the groups to the meeting, but the PPDF did not attend the meeting. That’s why they are not involved in the group. Two or three of his lower rank officers attended the meeting. I told them why we formed the alliance. I explained the future plan to them by phone," he said.

The Township People's Defense Force (PLF) includes the following armed resistance groups based in Pale Township: Pale People's Defence Force-Headquarters, People Revolution Army (PRA), Pale Plain Defence Groups (PPDG), Pone-Taung Revolution Force, Pone Taung Tiger PDF, Pale Joker, Aung San Force-MPDF, Youth Revolution Force, Royal Eagle Group, Black Leopard Group, Pale Taungpaw Ponnaka and Black Peacock-Force without Borders.

"We will continue to fight in unity under the command of the NUG’s Ministry of Defense. We want all to work together in solidarity to overthrow the Military Council and continue to fight in unity," the Pa Ka Pha spokesman said.

Pale township is one of the strongholds of armed resistance in Myanmar and a territory where the military junta is conducting large-scale military operations.