The Karenni Interim Executive Council (IEC)—a provisional government established in Karenni State in June 2023—told DVB that the regime’s Eastern Central Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters has been relocated from Shan State’s Kholam town to the Karenni State capital Loikaw Township.
“I think the military wants to escalate its counteroffensive in Karenni State,” Banyar Aung, the IEC Secretary-2, told DVB, adding that regime forces also want to fortify their defence along the Naypyidaw-southern Shan State corridor which borders Karenni.
Naypyidaw is located 152 miles (244 km) west of Loikaw. Naypyidaw’s Tatkon Township shares a border with southern Shan State’s Pinlaung Township.
A resistance member based along the southern Shan and Karenni corridor told DVB on the condition of anonymity that the military might intensify ground attacks against resistance forces in Karenni after the rainy season ends.
The Regional Operations Command (ROC) headquarters in Loikaw was repurposed to host the Eastern Central RMC on an unspecified date, according to the IEC.
The Myanmar Army opened Eastern Central RMC in Kholam in Shan’s Nansang Township, located 109 miles (175 km) east of the state capital Taunggyi, in 2011. Shan State hosts the Northeastern RMC in Lashio, Eastern RMC in Taunggyi and Triangle Region RMC in Kengtung.
Five members of the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) were killed by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) attack in Hpruso Township, located 21 miles (33 km) south of Loikaw, on Sept. 17.
At least 12 civilians, including six children, have been killed by “suicide” drone attacks and airstrikes carried out by the Myanmar Air Force in Karenni last month. A “suicide” drone is a UAV that explodes upon impact.
The Karenni resistance seized control of Demoso, Hpasawng, Mawchi, Shadaw, and Mese towns, located 11-109 miles (17-175 km) south of Loikaw, since it launched an offensive called “Operation 1111” on Nov. 11, 2023.
But it recently lost control of Demoso and Hpasawng to regime forces. Besides Demoso and Hpasawng, regime forces control Hpruso, Bawlakhe and Loikaw. Karenni State has seven townships.
Watch our 2024 Karenni State explainer video on DVB English News YouTube:
