Karen fighter

In an exclusive interview with Karen News, General Baw Kyaw Heh, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and is its second highest commander explained his concerns about the current peace building process with the government and why he thinks the recent ceasefire focus is now on business and not on peace. Gen Baw Kyaw…

In a recent meeting Karen armed forces agreed to unite and to join forces to work together to achieve self-determination. The Karen National Union (KNU), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the KNU/KNLA Peace Council agreed at a meeting held in the Burma border town of Myawaddy, to work together on Karen national affairs under one political objective. Following…

Soldiers from the Karen National Liberation Army’s 1st Brigade were beaten in a friendly football match against a celebrity team, Actor Star FC, from the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization at Bilin on Thursday 1st November. The game was played to help raise funds for development in Bilin Town, Mon State, The KNLA team was beaten 2-0 win by the Actor…

Last week the Burma Army and its militia, the Border Guard Force used the sanctuary of Thailand’s territory to attack Karen soldiers based in Hlaingbwe Township on the Burma side of the Moei River. Major Maung Lay, from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army’s Klo Htoo Lar unit confirmed that the Burma Army attacked his soldiers and both sides fired artillery…

Villagers in the Three Pagoda Pass region have accused government troops of using them as human shields against attacks from ethnic armed groups in Karen State. After suffering casualties in ambushes by Karen fighters, Burma army soldiers from Artillery Battalion and Light Infantry Battalion 543 based at Three Pagodas Pass Town forced 16 villagers from three villages to go with…

Guerilla warfare waged by Karen fighters on the Burma Army near Kawkareik Township resulted in 10 dead and injured four soldiers from the Light Infantry Battalion 202 based on the main Myawaddy-Kawkareik road. The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army said its troops had on the afternoon of October 3rd attacked the Burma Army LIB 202 position on the mountain road between…

Last week the Karen National Union announced in a media statement that it would hold a ceasefire day to acknowledge the United Nation’s International Day of Peace. The KNU statement asked the Burma government to do likewise. “To demonstrate our commitment to peace, and respect for the United Nations, the KNU will observe a unilateral one-day ceasefire on 21st September…

A Democratic Karen Buddhist Army commander told Karen News that the breakaway DKBA factions that refused to give up their Karen identity and come under the direct control of the Burma Army by becoming members of the Border Guard Force have begun restructuring their political and military aims. The decision was taken at a meeting in August that involved all…

Villagers from Kyauk Gu in Three Pagoda township said Burma Army soldiers randomly shelled their homes, destroying houses and killing cattle. Kyauk Gu residents say the Burma Army fired about 40, 60 mm mortars into the village after fighting between Karen armed groups and the Burma Army, Light Infantry Battalion 543 under Military Operations Command 5. A local resident told…

The Border Guard Force based in Myaing Gyi Ngu area has ordered nine villages in Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State to relocate to Myaing Gyi Ngu in mid-August, according sources in the area. Captain Pha Nwee and Saw Htun Hlaing, BGF advisory board members, issued the orders to relocate nine villages to the Myaing Gyi Ngu. The orders affected the following…