July 14, 2026
While the Myanmar military junta releases statements claiming they are holding peace talks with the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), an armed group that previously signed a nationwide ceasefire, the reality on the ground is completely different. Up until July 13, the military has been continuously dropping bombs on DKBA-controlled territories.
A local source from Phalu village told People’s Radio Myanmar (PRM) that throughout June and July, the junta hasn’t just been bombing the frontlines where they are actively fighting the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied resistance forces. They have also been using fighter jets and “kamikaze” (suicide) drones to attack civilian villages inside DKBA controlled areas, such as Waw Lay, Min Lat Pan, and Phalu.
“Today is the 14th. The planes came to drop bombs very early in the morning,” the local source said. “They kept firing heavy artillery until past 10:00 a.m. to support their troops near the hills above Lay Kay Kaw. The ground troops haven’t moved in yet, but the villages are completely destroyed. No one can live there anymore. Missiles are whistling overhead. In Waw Lay, they are even dropping bombs on residential neighborhoods and schools.”
The junta is currently trying to force its way from the border town of Myawaddy to a strategic military base in Waw Lay. To get there, they have to pass through DKBA territory and have been heavily pressuring the DKBA to provide combat support. However, on the ground, there is no sign that the DKBA is actually helping or fighting alongside the junta forces.
Although the military has not yet managed to advance past the Myawaddy-Waw Lay road, military analysts warn of the consequences of the relentless day-and-night artillery fire and daily airstrikes. If this extreme firepower forces the KNLA resistance troops to retreat from the area, DKBA controlled regions could easily fall back under full military junta control.
“Since July 7, the military has escalated its attacks with heavy artillery, missiles, plane bombings, and drone strikes,” a military analyst explained. “On the ground, they are pushing forward with hundreds of newly forced conscripts. Even though it is the rainy season, it looks like they are determined to capture the area all the way to Waw Lay. If they succeed, all the DKBA territories and the local online scam compounds will fall right back under the junta’s control.”
This ongoing junta offensive has lasted for over eight months, beginning in September 2025. Throughout this time, KNLA and allied resistance forces have continued to ambush and attack military columns on a daily basis in the areas of Phalu, Min Lat Pan, Waw Lay, and the old Dawna mountain road.
