Tue Dec 17 15:50:38 UTC 2024: ## Myanmar Rebel Group Reclaims Historic Headquarters After Nearly 30 Years

**Bangkok, Thailand** – The Karen National Union (KNU), a Myanmar ethnic rebel group, announced on Tuesday the recapture of its former headquarters, Manerplaw, from the Myanmar military. The base, located on the Thai border, had been under military control since 1995 following a conflict that forced thousands of Karen people to flee into Thailand.

KNU leader Saw Thamain Tun stated that the recapture followed days of intense fighting, involving drone strikes and bombing attempts by the junta. Manerplaw, a historically significant location for the Karen people, served as the KNU’s headquarters for decades during their fight for minority rights. The area holds the graves of approximately 100 KNU soldiers.

The KNU’s reclaiming of Manerplaw marks a significant turning point in the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. The base’s fall in 1995 followed a split within the KNU and resulted in the junta renaming the area Kayin state and installing an allied armed group in charge. Since the 2021 coup, the KNU has been actively involved in resisting the military regime, offering shelter and training to other anti-junta forces.

The ongoing conflict in Myanmar, triggered by the 2021 coup, has displaced over three million people, according to the United Nations, and frequently sends waves of refugees across Myanmar’s border with Thailand. The KNU’s victory at Manerplaw underscores the continuing instability and the complex dynamics of the conflict within the country. The group intends to rebuild the area as a memorial to those who fought and died there.

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