More than 30 Kawthoolei Army (KTLA) troops based around Hteekhee Town in Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region, have defected to Brigade 4 of the Karen National Union (KNU), according to KNU officials.

More than 30 fighters, including seven officers led by KTLA Battalion 2 commander Major Pho Eh, have reportedly defected to KNU Brigade 4, bringing weapons and ammunition.

A KNU information officer told Than Lwin Times that Brigade 4 is currently screening and questioning the defectors, adding that further details will be released later.

The KNU has designated KTLA as a terrorist organization, accusing it of frequently ambushing and attacking KNU forces and allied People’s Defence Force (PDF) units in the Brigade 4 operation area.

In March and April, KTLA ambushes killed 10 resistance fighters, including four members of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the KNU, as well as a child.

Brigadier General Saw Nerdah Mya, former commander-in-chief of the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO), an armed wing of the KNU, later broke away from the KNU and established the KTLA on July 16, 2022.