According to an announcement by the Karen National Union (KNU), two Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) commanders who led the successful operation to recapture the former KNU headquarters at Manerplaw, which had been occupied by the terrorist military for 30 years, have been awarded the Kawthoolei Gallantry Medal. The medals were presented during the Karen National Army Day ceremony on July 5th.
The strategic camp Point 913 in the Manerplaw area, which served as the former KNU central headquarters, had been under military occupation for three decades. Lieutenant Colonel Saw Kyin Lay and Lieutenant Colonel Saw Tin Myint Htoo were honored for their systematic planning and successful leadership of the operation to recapture the area from the military council. The medals were presented by KNLA Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Saw Baw Kyaw Heh. The military council had maintained control of this strategically important location for 30 years before its recapture.
Lieutenant Colonel Saw Kyin Lay serves as the head of the guerrilla force at KNLA headquarters, while Lieutenant Colonel Saw Tin Myint Htoo is the commander of KNLA Battalion 22 under KNU Brigade 7. The KNLA headquarters also presented certificates of honor to other victorious soldiers who participated in the operation to recapture the Manerplaw area. The former KNU headquarters at Point 913 in Manerplaw was successfully recaptured by joint KNLA forces on December 16, 2024, marking a significant victory in their struggle against the military council’s occupation of their traditional territories.
