The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and its allied resistance forces have successfully captured a major military base in southern Myanmar that had been occupied by the national army for over 30 years.
The Win Wa base, located in the Mergui-Tavoy District of Tanintharyi Region, fell to resistance forces on the afternoon of 11 March 2026 after more than a month of intense fighting and a coordinated siege. The facility was a critical strategic hub for the military council, situated along the vital No. 8 Highway connecting the cities of Dawei and Myeik.
An official from the KNU’s Mergui-Tavoy District told the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA) that the final assault followed a refusal by junta troops to surrender. “We called on them to lay down their arms before the final push, but they refused,” the official said.
According to local reports, the month-long battle resulted in significant casualties for the military council. Over 50 junta soldiers were reported killed, while approximately 50 others fled the base as it was overrun. Resistance forces also managed to seize a substantial cache of more than 50 weapons, including both light and heavy firearms.
The base was primarily manned by troops from Light Infantry Battalions 403, 404, and 405. While reinforcements were dispatched from Light Infantry Battalion 409 based in Kaleinaung, they were unable to reach the site due to effective blockades by resistance fighters.
In the wake of the base’s capture, the military launched an airstrike near the facility on the morning of 12 March, though further aerial activity was not reported by midday.
The offensive, which began on 7 February, involved a coalition of several KNLA battalions and regional special commando units. The fall of Win Wa is considered a major setback for the military junta’s operations in southern Myanmar, as it severs a key link in their logistical chain and control over the Dawei-Myeik highway.
The KNU has formally honored the soldiers and allied forces who participated in the operation, while also acknowledging the vital role played by the local population in supporting the offensive.
