An ethnic Karen rebel group claimed to have seized a strategic junta border outpost in Hpapun District, Karen State on Tuesday morning.
The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), raided the Mal Khar Hta military outpost on the bank of the Salween River near the Thai border and located inside KNU Brigade 5 territory, early in the morning, according to reports from local Karen media and a KNU source.
Padoh Mann Mann, KNU Brigade 5 spokesman, also confirmed to The Irrawaddy the seizure of the junta border outpost.
The move came a day after junta boss Min Aung Hlaing vowed to crush the civilian National Unity Government (NUG), the political wing of the People’s Defense Force (PDF), and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) fighting alongside the NUG, in a speech to mark the 78th annual Myanmar Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw on Monday.
Citing KNLA sources, local Karen media outlets reported there were many military casualties in the raid on the outpost, but precise casualty figures were not known.
Videos released by local media outlet Salween Press show an intense firefight at the base lasting for several minutes, as well as footage of the outpost after it was burned down.
The base has been used by the junta to distribute rations, ammunition and reinforcements to nearby regime outposts.
In April 2021, Karen rebel forces seized the nearby Thaw Lal Hta junta outpost, sending regime forces fleeing to the Mal Kha Hta base.
The KNU, which has trained and armed PDF groups, has been escalating its attacks on regime targets including military headquarters in Karen and Mon states and Bago and Tanintharyi regions.
It has also coordinated with resistance forces to mount attacks on regime targets including junta air bases in central Myanmar.
