Karen National Liberation Army ‘attacks’ office in Mon State used to count ballots for regime elections

The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) attacked a regime administration office and an outpost in Theizayet town of Kyaikto Township in Mon State on Sunday, as voting was underway on day one of the regime’s 2025-26 elections Dec. 28. Kyaikto is located 87 miles (140 km) north of the Mon State capital Mawlamyine.

A KNLA member told DVB on the condition of anonymity that resistance forces dropped an explosive on the administration office from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or drone, to stop ballots from being counted from the regime elections in Theizayet. No casualties were reported.

He added that regime forces fired artillery in response to the KNLA attack. An unknown number of Kyaikto residents from seven villages fled their homes. 

KNLA-led resistance forces, including the People’s Defense Force (PDF) and the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), also attacked regime positions providing security for polling stations in Kyaikto’s Yaykyaw and Thonegwa villages on Dec. 26-27, according to the anonymous source. No casualties were reported. 

The regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) held the first phase of voting in the 2025-26 elections in Mon State’s Mawlamyine, Kyaikto, Kyaikmaraw, Chaungzon and Thaton townships. Mon State has a total of 10 townships. 

An unknown armed group attacked polling stations in the Karenni State capital Loikaw, while voting was underway, in at least three locations, on Dec. 28. 

The Central Military Command headquarters inside the Mandalay Palace was attacked by a group calling itself Brave Warriors for Myanmar on Dec. 28. Two civilians were injured, the group added.

Fighting continued between the Arakan Army (AA) and regime forces in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu and Sittwe townships on Dec. 28. No casualties were reported.

Nine civilians were injured by an attack on the military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) office and two other locations, including a polling station, in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, on Dec. 27.

The UEC completed the first phase of voting in 102 townships. The second and third phases of the elections will be held on Jan. 11 and 25, 2026, in the remaining 163 townships nationwide. Elections are scheduled to take place in 265 out of Myanmar’s 330 townships, according to the UEC.