KAREN STATE – Colonel Saw Klel Doh of Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 5 said that a military operation in the tactically important Sittaung River Basin cannot be avoided in order to penetrate to Nay Pyi Taw where the junta council is headquartered.
This was in response to the junta leader saying that three brigades of the KNU are preparing to conduct military operations in the Sittaung River Basin.
The junta regime leader mentioned in his August 5 speech that KNU Brigade 1, 3 and 5 are preparing for offensives.
“What he (junta leader) said about how KNU and allies were preparing for offensives in the Sittaung River Basin is something that needs to be done. Giving up on that is just giving them an opportunity,” said Colonel Saw Klel Doh.
He added that the military operation in Sittaung River Basin is something that will have to be done even if it is not done now.
According to the division of territory by KNU, Brigade 1 controls Tathon District, Brigade 2 Taungoo District, Brigade 3 Nyaunglebin District, Brigade 4 Myeik-Dawei District, Brigade 5 Hpapun District, Brigade 6 Kyainseikgyi District and Brigade 7 Hpa-an District.
Among them, the territories of Brigade 2 and 3 are closest to Nay Pyi Taw.
In recent months, there were battles in the controlled territories of this brigades.
The NUG Ministry of Defence has also stated that they are working to control the Sittaung River Basin in order to penetrate into Nay Pyi Taw.
