Karenni Army marks 75th anniversary of its establishment
Amid its ongoing battles with the Myanmar military, the ethnic Karenni Army (KA) held an event to commemorate its 75th anniversary on Thursday at a base near the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Hong Son province.
According to reports from local journalists, the Karenni army’s top military brass and more than 120 people were present at the ceremony.
A statement made by Maj-General Aung Myat, the head of the Karenni Army, was released at the event.
His statement said that the Karenni Army was founded on August 17, 1948, by just seven soldiers and seven other officers to combat the military junta and decide its own course of existence.
The message cautioned its troops not to lose their focus after achieving triumphs and not to underestimate their enemies.
“We are not mercenaries. Instead, we are soldiers working for the nation. Therefore, there must be more rules and regulations than mercenaries. Please respect the rules and be disciplined,” the statement said.
“As per the definition of the word revolution, those who deserve to be killed need to be killed. Those who deserve to die must die. This is the nature of the revolutionary process,” it added.
The anniversary commemoration was held on a limited scale owing to concerns that the Myanmar military might launch an aerial strike during the event, according to reports. However, no attack has been reported.
