The Myanmar regime lost another military base on the Thai border to Karen resistance forces in Kawkareik Township, Karen State on May 23.
The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), which are the armed wings of the country’s oldest ethnic revolutionary group the Karen National Union (KNU), launched an attack on the junta’s Bledo military base along with several resistance groups including People’s Defense Forces (PDFs).
The Thai army closely monitored the fighting from the opposite side of the Moei River in Thailand.
In its failed attempt to defend the base, the regime used aircraft.
The resistance forces managed to take control of the entire base and seize numerous weapons and ammunition. Some 30 regime troops surrendered, while around 15 others including officers crossed the Moei River into Thailand.
Resistance forces told media that the regime soldiers gave up their base as they could no longer withstand the relentless resistance drone strikes.
The resistance drone unit Federal Wing said that alongside other drone teams, it used upgraded, more powerful drones to drop 120-mm mortar bombs on the base.
The KNU confirmed its armed forces managed to retake its former base.
“The regime soldiers were demoralized. They lost their base to us even though they had more weapons, ammunition and stronger defensive positions than we did. In truth, they’ve lost their confidence. They don’t even know what they’re fighting for,” a resistance fighter who took part in the seizure of the Bledo base told The Irrawaddy.
Last Monday, the KNLA and its allies seized the junta’s Maw Phoe Kay base in Paingkyon, a sub-township in Hpa-an District.
May Phoe Kay is a former KNU base in the territory of KNU Brigade 7. Military dictator New Win’s troops seized the base in 1981.
During the attack, nine regime troops were killed and many others including Infantry Battalion 24’s deputy commander crossed the river into Thailand.
May Phoe Kay is the eighth base seized by the KNU and allies in territory claimed by Brigade 7.
The KNU and allies also retook control of Htee Khee, a trade hub on the Thai border in the territory of KNU Brigade 4 in Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region after defeating the last junta base this month.
The KNU and allies briefly seized Light Infantry Battalion 598 headquarters in Shwegyi Township, Bago Region on May 8.
Since the 2021 coup, the KNU has trained and armed several thousand anti-regime activists and helped the civilian National Unity Government with the formation of People’s Defense Force (PDF) units.
The KNU and its allies are fighting the regime in Karen and Mon States and Tanintharyi and
Bago regions, and have attacked regime targets in the capital, Naypyitaw.
On the other hand, the regime has been conducting indiscriminate airstrikes and artillery shelling of KNU territory, killing dozens of civilians.
