Kawthoolei Army

The Kawthoolei Army is a militant and separatist group in Myanmar, split from Karen National Union.
The formation of the new militia was announced on 19 July 2022. General Saw Nerdah Bomya, former head of the Karen National Defence Organisation, had been removed from his KNDO position after allegations that his KNDO troops killed 25 suspected Burmese military spies in southern Karen State.
In April 2023, the KTLA launched an offensive against the Kayin State BGF in Shwe Kokko, forcing over 10,000 people to flee into Thailand. On 21 May, the KTLA, alongside other anti-junta forces, launched offensives against the Tatmadaw's "Plato" and Maw Khee camps, south of Myawaddy.
The KTLA is reportedly associated with an Italian neo-fascist group CasaPound through the group "Popoli Onlus Solidarity Community".
According to the Bangkok Post, the KTLA claims to control a 40km-long pipeline owned by PTT Exploration and Production that transports gas from Myanmar into Thailand's Kanchanaburi Province. The KTLA is reportedly considering either shutting down or destroying the pipeline.
On 5 January 2026, the KTLA declared independence from Myanmar and the formation of the Kawthoolei Republic as a sovereign state. The KTLA cited rights to self-determination and "collapse of the central Burmese government" as the reason behind the declaration. The Karen National Union dismissed the declaration as a publicity stunt stating that the KTLA controls no territory and does not represent the Karen people.