In an interview with Narinjara, Karen National Union (KNU) spokesperson and Permanent Central Committee member Padoh Saw Kala Say expressed happiness, pride, and a warm welcome for the Arakan Army (AA), applauding their consistent capture of bases and outposts in Rakhine State and noting significant military gains.
"We are delighted by the success of AA in their operations in Rakhine State, capturing military bases, and we wholeheartedly support these developments. Pursuing national equality, these endeavors are unquestionably valuable. We recognize that both us and AA are concurrently executing strategic military actions in different regions to bring an end to the military dictatorship”, he said.
He also issued a caution, urging all resistance armed organizations to stay vigilant, highlighting that while the Junta is currently facing persistent setbacks on the battlefield, there is a risk of resorting to unjust and brutal methods, displaying unsportsmanlike conduct.
"Our message to the Rakhine people is that their ethnic and political history has been magnificent, devoid of any weaknesses. We strongly urge the Rakhine people to join hands with the resistance forces in our regions to collectively overthrow the military dictator”, Padoh Saw Kala Say told Narinjara.
Amidst the ongoing conflict in Rakhine State, the Military Council has significantly escalated hostilities through intensive airstrikes, naval shelling, and ground-based artillery bombardments. This has led to the destruction of homes in several townships, including Pauktaw, Minbya, Ramree, and Mrauk-U, prompting nearly 300,000 Rakhine residents to evacuate their homes.
He also likened the actions of the Military Council to a Myanmar proverb, suggesting that it resembled setting the entire barn on fire because of the inability to control the rampage of mice.
"It's difficult to foresee how the ailing Military Council, facing setbacks on all fronts, will react. Drawing from our more than 70 years of experience, the Junta's recurrent strategies mirror the Myanmar proverb of setting the entire barn on fire due to the inability to control the rampage of mice. Moreover, they may resort to any unethical and desperate means to cling to power. That’s why, we all need to be careful”, Padoh Saw Kala Say added.
The Three Brotherhood Alliance, of which AA is a member, has declared its belief that the Junta forces in the three key cities of Rakhine State—Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, and Minbya—will imminently be eliminated, leading to complete control falling into the hands of AA
