KNLA Launches Assault on Waw Lay Military Base Near Myawaddy — Junta Troops Flee, 12+ Civilians Injured by Indiscriminate Shelling

The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied resistance forces launched a major offensive on Waw Lay military base in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, on April 25–27, 2026, achieving significant tactical results at a cost to local civilians. Resistance forces reportedly penetrated the hilltop base, forcing approximately 20 junta personnel including officers to flee the position. The Irrawaddy reported on 'Myanmar Regime Troops Making Last Stand in Karen Border Town,' indicating the strategic pressure the KNLA was applying to SAC positions near the critical Thai border crossing. The offensive is part of ongoing KNLA efforts to expand resistance control of Karen State territory adjacent to the Thailand border — a zone of strategic importance for both sides. The junta responded with indiscriminate shelling of surrounding civilian areas, injuring at least 12 civilians in the Myawaddy area since April 24. Thailand's border patrol forces increased their presence in response to conflict spillover concerns from the Karen State fighting — particularly sensitive given that the April 20 SAC airstrike on the KNU hospital resulted in a bomb landing on Thai soil in Mae Hong Son Province. The Waw Lay offensive demonstrates the KNLA's continued offensive initiative along the Karen-Thai border corridor, even as the SAC recaptured Falam in Chin State (April 25-26), sustaining multi-front pressure on junta positions.