An armed ethnic group in Myanmar, the Karen National Union (KNU), has withdrawn its troops from the town of Myawaddy along the Thai border after a counteroffensive by the ruling junta. The junta had regained control of the vital trading post that is a conduit for annual foreign trade worth over $1 billion. The KNU’s armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army, had taken control of the area recently but was forced to retreat following the junta’s return. The KNU spokesperson stated that the group’s next move was not clear, and expressed intention to destroy any junta troops in the area.
The ongoing civil war in Myanmar is a conflict between the military regime and a loose alliance of ethnic minority armies and a resistance movement that emerged after the 2021 coup. The KNU’s temporary retreat from Myawaddy was a result of the junta’s counteroffensive, which saw them assisted by the Karen National Army (KNA), a militia that has previously shifted allegiances. The KNA has asserted its independence from the weakening Myanmar military this year but has not publicly aligned itself with the anti-junta resistance. The situation in Myawaddy had caused thousands of civilians to flee and disrupted trade along the Thai border.
The KNA, originally a faction of the KNLA, was formed around 2010 and was previously known as the Border Guard Force under Karen warlord Saw Chit Thu. Thailand’s foreign ministry reported that the fighting around Myawaddy had eased and that talks between rival groups in Myanmar may be starting. Thailand was monitoring the situation closely and had proposed hosting a meeting to help end the crisis. The junta, which took power in a coup in 2021, is facing significant challenges as it struggles to control various frontier areas that have been taken over by rebel groups.
Despite the junta’s loss of control in several key frontier areas to rebel groups, the military regime continues to engage in low-intensity conflicts as it tries to stabilize the economy following the coup. The situation in Myanmar is highly uncertain and volatile, with ongoing clashes between rebel forces and government troops. The KNU’s temporary retreat from Myawaddy after the junta’s counteroffensive indicates the complex and fluid nature of the conflict in Myanmar, which has deep historical roots in ethnic tensions and political struggles. Thailand’s efforts to facilitate talks between rival groups and address the crisis reflect the broader regional impact of the conflict on neighboring countries.
