KNLA allied forces ready to launch offensive in Moe Taung, says statement

YT The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Brigade 4 allied forces have announced their readiness to launch a renewed offensive on Moe Taung, a trade town on the Thai-Myanmar border that has been reoccupied by the military junta's forces. A statement released yesterday (July 10) by the Black Cobra Column, under KNLA Battalion 101, stated, "Our revolutionary comrades have completed their rest and necessary preparations and are now in a state of readiness for battle." In preparation for the operation, the Black Cobra Column announced that vehicle traffic will be prohibited on the trade road from the entrance of Moe Taung town (Naksa Gate) to Village No. 9. The section from Tonkha junction to Village No. 9 has been designated as a completely prohibited zone, and a warning has been issued to exercise caution as entry into these prohibited areas could lead to mistaken engagement with military targets. Furthermore, vehicles carrying personnel, weapons, ammunition, and other materials related to the military junta will be considered military targets. Civilians have been warned not to transport such materials and to stay away from junta troops. A warning has been issued that failure to comply with the stipulated regulations may result in arrest or severe punishment, and civilians are urged to adhere to the prohibitions for their own safety. Moe Taung, a town with a border trade gate adjacent to Singkhon town in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand, was attacked and captured by KNLA allied forces on November 14, 2025. The military junta launched ground and air offensives for approximately half a year to recapture the town, and succeeded in retaking it on May 16, 2026. Currently, schools have reopened in Moe Taung town, and residents have only begun to return and live in the town for just over a month. Therefore, the town's residents are expressing concerns about the potential for a resurgence of military tensions. Additionally, Moe Taung town was historically the administrative center of the KNU Brigade 4, Baito-Tavoy District, Tanintharyi Township, and was attacked and captured by the military junta in 1990. Editor – Thant Zaw (Thanlyin)