This dyad belongs to the conflict Myanmar (Burma): Karenni

Summary of conflict Myanmar (Burma): Karenni

The territorial conflict over the Karenni region dates back to 1957, when KNPP (Karenni National Progressive Party) was formed with the aim to establish a sovereign Karenni state. A ceasefire was signed with the government in 1995, but KNPP renounced the agreement after troops had launched an offensive in the Karenni region in 1996.

The conflict between the Government of Myanmar and the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) escalated in intensity in 2025 compared to the previous year. While large-scale ground operations remained limited, violence increased due to intensified airstrikes and shelling by Myanmar military in KNPP-influenced areas of Kayah state, particularly around Loikaw and Bawlakhe districts. These attacks contributed to renewed displacement and civilian casualties, despite the absence of sustained frontline offensives. One of the most devastating airstrikes occurred in Mawchi town in Bawlakhe district on 17 August, killing more than 30 civilians. At the same time, KNPP-affiliated forces continued to carry out occasional ambushes and attacks on military positions and supply routes, although overall hostilities were primarily characterized by long-range strikes rather than conventional ground battles.

Background to the conflict

The territory dominated by Karenni hill tribes, closely related to the Karen, was traditionally ruled by local chiefs. Since 1951, the dozen or so ethnic Karenni sub-groups have been referred to as "Kayah" by the Burmese authorities allegedly to inhibit links between the Karen and Karenni communities.

Noting the commercial potential of the teak forest in Karenni, the British vice-roy of India supported Karenni demands for nominal independence that was granted by the Burmese King Mindon in 1875. Following the British defeat of the Burmese monarchy in 1886, Karenni forces opposed the colonialists until the region officially in 1892 became administered by Karenni feudatories who paid tribute to British India. According to Karenni nationalists, all conflicts since 1875 has been in defence of their homeland against invading forces.

During the Second World War, Karenni chiefs recruited forces that fought on the side of the British against the Japanese. Karenni leaders rejected involvement in the post-War discussions about the transfer of power to independent Burma as they did not consider them as being part of the British colony. Instead, they focused on setting up a Karenni administrative structure and the United Karenni Independent State Council (UKISC) was set up in 1946 and work on a Karenni draft constitution was initiated.

In June 1947, the Constituent Assembly in Rangoon drafted a constitution which included Karenni state, but where the territory would be given a certain amount of autonomy. No Karenni representatives were present at the assembly and the UKISC appointed a four-person delegation for talks about the situation in Rangoon. The meetings were held in September 1947 and the Karenni delegation agreed to join Burma provided Karenni became its own region rather than a district within the proposed Karen state. This split the Karenni leadership as the leader of UKISC U Bee Tu Re renounced the authority of the delegation while subsequent large-scale protests led to the deployment of Burma military police in Karenni state in November 1947.

Karenni and Karen collaboration

In November 1947, two months before Burmese independence, Saw Maw Reh formed the Karenni National Organization (KNO) to support the UKISC politically and pursue the issue of Karenni independence. After the assassination of the UKISC leader U Bee Tu Re in 1948, the KNO established an armed wing, the United Karenni States Independence Army (UKSIA), and began gathering arms and recruits. Saw Maw Reh was captured by the government and imprisoned in February 1949 and the leadership of UKSIA passed to Saw Shwe, the hereditary sawbwa of the Karenni state of Kyobogyi. As the Karen rebellion at the time was gaining strength, he then allied the Karenni forces with those of the Karen National Union (KNUP).

Saw Mah Reh was released from prison in 1953 and rejoined the Karen-Karenni force. Saw Shwe died in malaria in 1956 and was succeeded by his wife, Catherine, who surrendered to the government later in the year. Her successor, in turn, was Taw PLO who formed the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) as the political wing of UKSIA with the ambition to act more independent of KNUP.

Even though KNPP has continued to pursue a Karenni-specific agenda, where the demand for independence was replaced by an acceptance of federalism only in 2005, it has militarily continued to have close co-operation with other, larger, groups. Thus, the armed activity of KNPP is more extensive than shown in the UCDP database as they have contributed troops to joint operations with groups active in the Karen, Shan, and government conflicts.

Splits and ceasefires

In 1977, diverging views over co-operation with the Chinese-supported Communist Party of Burma (CPB) or the Thai-supported and anti-communist Karen National Union (KNU) led to a split in the KNPP. The pro-communist faction led by Than Nyunt splintered off and formed the Karenni State Nationalities People’s Liberation Force (KNPLF). KNPLF provided troops to some CPB-attacks on the government but the split mainly led to a non-state conflict between the different Karenni movements. In 1994, KNPLF signed a ceasefire with the government and was transformed into a border guard force in December 2009.

The main faction of KNPP, led between 1960 and 1986 by Saw Mah Reh, has remained very active politically in different opposition alliances and has pursued negotiations with the government on several occasions, most recently throughout the 1990s. At times, government offensives have specifically targeted KNPP bases.

A ceasefire was announced with the government on 7 March 1995, but KNPP renounced the agreement after troops launched an offensive in Karenni state in 1996. The government has argued that this ceasefire is still valid and thus blocked most attempts to resume talks in the conflict. In late 2005, it was reported that the government would be willing to provide food and material development to the KNPP if they re-committed to the old agreement. The KNPP position was a declaration that it would only be willing to negotiate if this could lead to a long-term peace settlement which were beneficial to the Karenni people.

Fighting in 2005

Two factors led to an increase in fighting between the government and KNPP in late 2004. First, the ceasefire between the Karen group KNU and the government made KNPP-controlled territory more approachable for government forces. Second, the government had started preparation in 2001 to move the countrys administrative capital to Nay Pyi Taw, near Pyinmana, which is geographically closer to Karenni state. During 2004, the government initiated offensives against the Karenni, targeting both the rebel bases and the civilian population which led to an increase in battle-related casualties.

In 2005, the offensives intensified the fighting in Karenni state. The government received help from the ceasefire KNPLF in the clashes throughout the year. A few incidents of fighting was reported in 2006 but as the government kept moving more forces into the hill areas, KNPP troops resumed their close co-operation with the Karen rebel group KNU and the Shan rebel group SSA-S. Even though occasional clashes continue, it has since not been possible to observe 25 battle-related deaths in a year.