Myanmar Army Moves HQ to Karenni State, Prepares Major Offensive

Mae Hong Son – Myanmar’s Eastern Command has shifted its headquarters from Hopong in Namsang Township, Tunggyi District, to Loikaw, the capital of Karenni State, on 28 September 2026, according to a high‑level Karenni Army source. The move is intended to launch a major clearance operation against the Karenni Army (KA) and its allied Karenni National Defence Force (KNDF). The Karenni Army recently lost a senior staff officer on 28 September, weakening its command. The source said a large‑scale sweep in the coming winter would almost certainly spill over into Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province.

The former Myanmar Eastern Command comprises about 16 infantry battalions, including Light Infantry Divisions 66 and 99, various infantry battalions numbered 131‑153, 149‑152, 153, 246, 286‑294, 296, plus fast‑moving battalions 514 and 524, totalling roughly 2,000 soldiers supported by artillery, armoured vehicles and drone units.

On 28 September, Karenni Army fighters together with the KNDF attacked Myanmar troops in Bokalake, captured a fast‑moving battalion 515 outpost and took several Burmese soldiers prisoner. The Karenni Army, together with KNDF, People’s Defence Force (PDF) and five smaller groups, fields at least 20,000 fighters across Karenni State and is backed by the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Arakan Army (AA).

The Karenni Army’s deputy commander‑in‑chief, Colonel Phoe Hnaing, who also served as chief of staff, was killed on 28 September. He was regarded as the second‑in‑command and a key planner who had driven Myanmar forces out of areas adjacent to Thailand’s Mae Hong Son border, allowing Karenni troops to take over those positions.

As a result, the Thai‑Myanmar border opposite Mae Hong Son has remained peaceful, with no fighting spilling over into Thai territory.