Funeral services were held on Tuesday for Khun Sar El, 29, of the Kayan National Army (KNA)—a Karenni resistance force—after the battalion commander was killed on Saturday during an airstrike carried out by the Myanmar Air Force targeting an outpost in western Demoso Township, Karenni State.
A spokesperson for the KNA confirmed that Khun Sar El was killed when military aircraft conducted a precision strike on a small frontline position.
Following the attack, the group issued an urgent advisory warning internally displaced persons living in IDP camps across Karenni State to maintain high alert for incoming aerial bombardments, specifically citing an increased frequency of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) reconnaissance and drone strikes as the regime accelerates its regional counteroffensive.
Formed on October 29, 2024, the KNA operates across the Karenni-Shan states corridor with an estimated force strength of over 1,000 personnel divided across 13 battalions.
The fatal strike highlights an intensifying aerial campaign across Karenni State since early September:
- Drone Attacks on Resistance Forces: On September 17, a military UAV strike killed five members of the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) near Moso village in Hpruso Township, located 21 miles (33 km) south of the state capital, Loikaw.
- Growing Casualties: The Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC) reported that at least 12 civilians and seven KNDF fighters were killed by military attacks across Karenni State during the first half of September alone.
- Contested Territorial Control: While resistance forces have maintained control over Mawchi, Mese, and Shadaw following the launch of “Operation 1111” in November 2023, regime troops retain strongholds in Loikaw, Hpruso, and Bawlakhe. Demoso, situated 9 miles (14 km) south of Loikaw, remains heavily contested after military forces retook the urban center in August 2025 following nearly two years under resistance control.
