On the morning of June 25, Karenni coalition resistance forces captured the Junta’s military base located at strategically important Maesalawng Hill in Bawlakhe District, Karenni State.

“I can confirm our capture of the base on June 25. Enemy soldiers’ bodies were discovered inside, though the exact count of casualties remains unknown”, Colonel Phone Naing, the Adjutant General of the Karenni Army (KA) reported.

The Karenni resistance forces initiated an offensive against the base on June 19, successfully capturing it in less than a week without suffering any casualties.

Casualties occurred among the Junta forces, and the Karenni resistance also seized enemy military weapons.

“On the final day of the operation, we captured the base without firing a single shot.

We also seized enemy weapons and ammunition, including land mines”, a resistance fighter told Kantarawaddy Times.

The base at Maesalawng Hill was jointly manned by troops from Shan State's No. 2 Military Operations Command (MOC-2) and units redeployed from the Bawlakhe garrison.

In January 2023, the resistance forces were able to capture the Maesalawng Hill base, but 3 days later, the Junta launched a counteroffensive and retook it. So this is the second time that the resistance forces have successfully captured that base. This base is also crucial for military control over Bawlakhe.