Nov 13, 2008 (DVB)-Karen National Liberation Army captured a Democratic Karen Buddhist Army outpost in southeast Burma early this month, according to a spokesman of KNLA’s political wing, the Karen National Union.

Phado Saw Hla Ngwe, secretary-1 of the KNU said KNLA troops stormed a DKBA outpost near Karen state capital Pa-an on 5 November.

"Troops from the KNLA Brigade-1’s battalion-1 engaged in a 45 minute battle with the DKBA before taking control of it," said Saw Hla Ngwe.

"We also captured a 60mm artillery gun, three M-16s, two AK-47s, a carbine, two RPG-7 launchers, two walkie-talkies, a typewriter, five grenades and 12 DKBA uniforms."

Saw Hla Ngwe added this was the first raid the KNLA had carried out since the formation of a new KNU leadership team at its 14th Congress in October.

DKBA split from the KNU in 1994 and signed ceasefire agreements with the Burmese army.

Reporting by Htet Yazar