This article needs to be updated.(November 2023) |
The following is a list of non-state armed groups involved in the internal conflict in Myanmar, officially called ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) by the government of Myanmar. [1]
The term "ethnic armed organisation" (Burmese : တိုင်းရင်းသား လက်နက်ကိုင် အဖွဲ့အစည်း) emerged in Myanmar during the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement negotiations from 2013 to 2015. [2] Various other terms, including "ethnic organisation", "ethnic resistance force", and "ethnic rebel group" have also been used to describe ethnic armed organisations.
These organisations typically:
Name | Abbreviation | Founded | Strength | Headquarters | Location | Affiliations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arakan Army | AA | 2009 | 15000+(claimed in May 2024) [3]
| Laiza |
| ||
Arakan Army (Kayin State) | AA (Kayin) | 2010 | 350 (2024) [6] | Mobile headquarters | Kayin State |
| |
All Burma Students' Democratic Front | ABSDF | 1988 | 600 (2016) [7] | Manerplaw (until 1995) [8] | Joined the CRPH / NUG after the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état [9] | ||
Arakan Liberation Army | ALA | 1968 | 100 (2024) [10] | Sittwe | Armed wing of the Arakan Liberation Party |
| |
Arakan Rohingya Army | ARA | 2020 | Unknown | Mobile headquarters | |||
Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army | ARSA | 2013 | ~200 (2018) [12] [13] | Mobile headquarters |
| ||
Bamar People's Liberation Army | BPLA | 2021 | 1,000+ [15] | Mobile headquarters | Eastern Myanmar | Co-founded by activist Maung Saungkha | |
Chin National Army | CNA | 1988 | 1,500+ (2024) [16] | Camp Victoria [17] | Chin State |
| Joined the CRPH / NUG after the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état [19] |
Chin National Defence Force | CNDF | 2021 | Unknown | Falam | Chin State | Armed wing of the Chin National Organisation [20] | |
Chinland Defense Force | CDF | 2021 | Unknown | Mobile headquarters | |||
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army – Brigade 5 | DKBA-5 | 2010 | 2,000+ (2024) [10] [21] [22] | Sonesee Myaing | Armed wing of the Klohtoobaw Karen Organization [10] |
| |
Kachin Defense Army | KDA | 1991 | 2,850 (2020) [23] | Kawnghka | Shan State |
| |
Kachin Independence Army | KIA | 1961 | 20,000 (2018) [25] | Kachin State, northern Shan State |
| Holds and governs territory in Kachin State [26] | |
Kamtapur Liberation Organisation | KLO | 1995 | Unknown | Taga, Sagaing (until 2019) [27] | Part of the UNLFW | Based in India and operates in Assam and West Bengal | |
Karen National Army | KNA | 2024 | 7,000+ [28] | Shwe Kokko [29] | Kayin State |
| |
Karen National Defence Organisation | KNDO | 1947 | Unknown | Affiliate of the Karen National Union | |||
Karen National Liberation Army | KNLA | 1949 | 15,000 (2021) [32] |
| Broke its commitment to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in response to the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état | ||
Karenni Army | KA | 1949 | 1,500 (2012) [33] | Nya Moe [34] | Kayah State |
|
|
Karenni National People's Liberation Front | KNPLF | 1978 | 2,000 [35] | Pankan | Kayah State |
| |
Karenni Nationalities Defence Force | KNDF | 2021 | 7,000+ [36] | Mobile headquarters | |||
Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup | KYKL | 1994 | Unknown | Mobile Headquarters | Sagaing Region | Part of CorCom | |
Kangleipak Communist Party | KCP | 1980 | ~112 (2012) [39] | Mobile Headquarters | Sagaing Region | Part of CorCom | |
Kayan New Land Army | KNLP/A | 1964 | 200–300 | Pekon |
| Armed wing of the Kayan New Land Party |
|
Kawthoolei Army | KTLA | 2022 | Unknown | Kayin State | Broke away from the Karen National Union July 2022 [40] | ||
KNU/KNLA Peace Council | KPC | 2007 | 500+ (2024) [10] [41] | To-kawko | Kayin State | Not affiliated with the KNU or KNLA, despite its name | |
Kuki National Army | KNA(B) | 1988 | 200+ (2016) [42] | Mobile headquarters | Armed wing of the Kuki National Organisation | Based in India and operates in Manipur | |
Kuki-Chin National Army | KCNA | 2017 | Unknown | Mobile headquarters | Armed wing of the Kuki-Chin National Front |
| |
Lahu Democratic Union | LDU | 1973 [44] | 1,500 (2024) [10] | Loi Lan [10] | Shan State |
| |
Mon National Liberation Army | MNLA | 1958 | 1,000+ (2024) [10] [48] | Ye Chaung Phya | Armed wing of the New Mon State Party | Signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in 2018, along with the Lahu Democratic Union [45] [46] [47] | |
Mon National Liberation Army (Anti-Military Dictatorship) | MNLA-AMD | 2024 | 300 [10] | Unknown | Mon State | Armed wing of the New Mon State Party (Anti-Military Dictatorship) |
|
Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army | MNDAA | 1989 | 6,000 [49] | Mobile headquarters | Shan State (Kokang) |
|
|
Burma National Revolutionary Army | MRDA | 2022 | 1,000+ [50] | Pale | Sagaing Region | Formerly known as the Myanmar Royal Dragon Army | |
National Democratic Alliance Army | NDAA | 1989 | 3,000 [51] –4,000 [21] (2016) | Mong La | Shan State | Split from the Communist Party of Burma after its dissolution | |
National Liberation Army | NLA | 2023 | Unknown | Tamu Township | Sagaing Region (Tamu Township) | Formerly the PDF Tamu Battalion 3 | |
National Socialist Council of Nagaland |
| 1980 | <500 (2016) [52] |
| Part of the UNLFW |
| |
New Democratic Army – Kachin |
| 1989 | 700 (peak) [55] | Pangwa | Kachin State | Signed a ceasefire agreement with the government in 1989 and transformed into a Border Guard Forces in 2009 | |
Pa-O National Army | PNA | 1949 | 4,000 (2023) [56] | Taunggyi | Shan State | Armed wing of the Pa-O National Organisation |
|
Pa-O National Liberation Army | PNLA | 2009 | 1,000+ (2024) [10] [21] [57] | Camp Laybwer | Armed wing of the Pa-O National Liberation Organisation | Split into a pro-peace talk and anti-junta faction in January 2024 [10] | |
People's Defence Force | 2021 | 100,000 (2024 est.) [58] | Armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG) |
| |||
People's Defence Force (Kalay) | PDF (Kalay) | 2021 | Unknown | Kalay | Sagaing Region | Part of the People's Defence Force | |
People's Liberation Army | PLA | 2021 | Unknown | Armed wing of the Communist Party of Burma | The Communist Party of Burma rearmed itself and announced the creation of its new armed wing, the People's Liberation Army, in late 2021. [59] [60] | ||
People's Liberation Army of Manipur | PLAM | 1978 | 3,800 (2008) | Manipur | Part of CorCom | ||
People's Revolution Alliance (Magway) | PRA (Magway) | 2021 | Unknown | Mobile headquarters | |||
People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak | PREPAK | 1977 | ~200 (2012) [63] | Mobile headquarters | Sagaing Region | Part of CorCom | |
Rohingya Islami Mahaz | RIM | 2020 | Unknown | ||||
Rohingya Solidarity Organisation | RSO | 1982 [64] | Unknown |
| |||
Shanni Nationalities Army | SNA | 2016 | 1,000+ (2019) [66] | Mobile headquarters | Kachin State | Allies with the Shan State Army (RCSS) and the Tatmadaw | |
Shan State Army (SSPP) [a] | SSPP/SSA | 1971 | 10,000 (2023) [67] | Wan Hai | Shan State |
| Signed ceasefire with Tatmadaw |
Shan State Army (RCSS) [a] | RCSS/SSA | 1996 | 8,000 (2024) [10] | Loi Tai Leng |
| Split from the Mong Tai Army in 1995 | |
Wuyang People's Militia | LEM/LNDP | 2013 | 100 (2022) [68] | Myitkyina | Kachin State | Armed wing of the Lisu National Development Party |
|
Student Armed Force | SAF | 2021 | Unknown | Mobile headquarters | |||
Ta'ang National Liberation Army | TNLA | 1992 | 8,000-10,000 (2024) [49] | Mobile headquarters | Shan State |
| Governs the Pa Laung Self-Administered Zone |
United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent | ULFA-I | 1979 | 200 (2024) | Taga, Sagaing (until 2019) [27] | Part of the UNLFW |
| |
United National Liberation Front | UNLF | 1964 | 2,000 | Manipur | Part of CorCom |
| |
United Wa State Army | UWSA | 1989 | 25,000 (2015) [71] | Pangkham | Shan State |
| Governs the Wa Self-Administered Division (Wa State) [72] |
Wa National Army | WNA | 1969 | 200 (1998) [73] | Homein | Shan State |
| Signed a peace agreement with the government in August 1997 |
Zomi Revolutionary Army | ZRA-EC | 1997 | 3,000 (2016) [21] | Churachandpur | Armed wing of the Zomi Revolutionary Organisation |
Name | Abbreviation | Founded | Disbanded | Strength | Headquarters | Location | Affiliations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front | ARIF | 1986 [75] | 1998 | Unknown | Mobile headquarters | |||
National Democratic Front of Boroland | NDFB | 1986 | 2020 | 3,000+ | Taga, Sagaing (until 2019) [27] | Part of the UNLFW |
| |
Communist Party of Arakan | CPA | 1962 | 2004 | Unknown | Mobile headquarters | Rakhine State | Split from the Red Flag Communist Party | |
Communist Party of Burma | CPB | 1939 | 1989 | 6,000 [76] | Pangkham (until 1989) | Shan State | Armed wing dissolved in 1989 | |
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army | DKBA | 1994 | 2010 | <5,000 [21] | Mobile headquarters | Kayin State |
| |
God's Army | 1997 | 2006 | 500 [77] | Mobile headquarters | Myanmar–Thailand border | Surrendered to government forces in 2006 | ||
Mongko Region Defence Army | MRDA | 1995 [78] [79] | 2000 | Unknown | Mongko | Split from the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army | ||
Mong Tai Army | MTA | 1985 | 1996 | 20,000 | Homein | Surrendered to the government in 1996 | ||
Monland Restoration Army | MRA | 2001 | 2012 | 100–300 [80] [81] | Sangkhlaburi | Armed wing of the Hongsawatoi Restoration Party | Surrendered to government forces in 2012 | |
Mujahideen | None | 1947 | 1954 | 2,000 | Mayu | Rakhine State | Majority of fighters surrendered to the government in the late 1950s and early 1960s | |
Red Flag Communist Party | RFCP | 1948 | 1978 | 500 [82] | Mobile headquarters | Shan State | Split from the Communist Party of Burma | |
Rohingya Liberation Party | RLP | 1972 | 1974 | 800–2,500 [83] [ better source needed ] | Mobile headquarters | Rakhine State | Insurgents fled across the border into Bangladesh after a massive military operation by the government in July 1974 | |
Rohingya National Army | RNA | 1998 | 2001 | Unknown | Cox's Bazar | Armed wing of the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO) | ||
Rohingya Patriotic Front | RPF | 1974 | 1980s | 70 [83] | Mobile headquarters | Rakhine State | ||
Shan State Army | SSA | 1964 | 1976 | 1,500 | Mobile headquarters | Shan State |
| |
Shan State National Army | SSNA | 1995 | 2005 | 8,000 (peak) [84] | Hsipaw | Shan State | Merged with the Shan State Army – South in 2005 | |
Shan United Revolutionary Army | SURA | 1960 | 1996 | Unknown | Homein |
| ||
Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors | VBSW | 1999 | 2013 | Unknown | Mobile headquarters | Myanmar–Thailand border |
|
The Karen National Union is a political organisation with an armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), that claims to represent the Karen people of Myanmar. It operates in mountainous eastern Myanmar and has underground networks in other areas of Myanmar where Karen people live as a minority group.
Insurgencies have been ongoing in Myanmar since 1948, when the country, then known as Burma, gained independence from the United Kingdom. It has largely been an ethnic conflict, with ethnic armed groups fighting Myanmar's armed forces, the Tatmadaw, for self-determination. Despite numerous ceasefires and the creation of autonomous self-administered zones in 2008, armed groups continue to call for independence, increased autonomy, or federalisation. It is the world's longest ongoing civil war, spanning almost eight decades.
The Shan State Army, also known as the Shan State Army - South (SSA-S), is the armed wing of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and one of the largest insurgent groups in Myanmar (Burma). The RCSS/SSA was led by Lieutenant General Yawd Serk until his resignation on 3 February 2014. Yawd Serk was reelected chairman of the RCSS shortly after his resignation and has remained chairman since.
Ceasefires in Myanmar have been heavily utilized by the Burmese government as a policy to contain ethnic rebel groups and create tentative truces. The first ceasefire was arranged by the State Law and Order Restoration Council in 1989, specifically spearheaded by Khin Nyunt, then the Chief of Military Intelligence, with the Kokang-led National Democratic Alliance Army, which had recently split from the Communist Party of Burma due to internal conflicts.
The Kachin conflict or the Kachin War is one of the multiple conflicts which are collectively referred to as the internal conflict in Myanmar. Kachin insurgents have been fighting against the Tatmadaw since 1961, with only one major ceasefire being brokered between them, which lasted from 1994 to 2011, a total of 17 years.
The Arakan Army, sometimes referred to as the Arakha Army, is an ethno-nationalist armed organisation based in Rakhine State (Arakan). Founded in April 2009, the AA is the military wing of the United League of Arakan (ULA). The Arakan Army are followers of Theravada Buddhism. It is currently led by Commander-in-Chief Major General Twan Mrat Naing and vice deputy commander-in-chief Brigadier General Nyo Twan Awng. The Arakan Army states that the objective of its armed revolution is to restore the sovereignty of the Arakan people. It was declared a terrorist organization in 2020 by Myanmar, and again by the State Administration Council junta in 2024.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) is an armed resistance group in the Kokang region of Myanmar (Burma). The army has existed since 1989, having been the first one to sign a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government. The ceasefire lasted for about two decades.
The Ta'ang National Liberation Army is a political organization and armed group in Myanmar. It is the armed wing of the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF).
The Arakan Liberation Army is a Rakhine insurgent group in Myanmar (Burma). It is the armed wing of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP). The ALA signed a ceasefire agreement with the government of Myanmar on 5 April 2012.
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The Pa-O National Liberation Army is a Pa-O insurgent group in Myanmar (Burma). It is the armed wing of the Pa-O National Liberation Organisation.
The Shanni Nationalities Army is a Shanni insurgent group active in northern Sagaing Region and Kachin State, Myanmar (Burma). Although it first was founded in 1989, it fully grew into an armed group in 2016. The SNA has five objectives – to gain statehood, to fight drugs, to establish a federal Union, to build unity among all Shan sub-groups, and to conserve ecological balance.
The United League of Arakan is an Arakanese political organisation based in Laiza, Kachin State, Myanmar. Its armed wing is the Arakan Army. Major General Twan Mrat Naing is the ULA's chairman and Brigadier General Nyo Twan Awng is in the secretary. The United League of Arakan is the member of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), the political negotiation team formed by seven ethnic armed groups in Myanmar.
The People's Defence Force is the armed wing of the National Unity Government in Myanmar. The armed wing was formed by the NUG from youths and pro-democracy activists on 5 May 2021 in response to the coup d'état that occurred on 1 February 2021 that put the military junta and their armed wing the Tatmadaw in power. The military junta designated it as a terrorist organisation on 8 May 2021. In October 2021, NUG's Ministry of Defence announced that it had formed a central committee to coordinate military operations across the country.
The Myanmar Civil War, also known as the Burmese Civil War, Burmese Spring Revolution, or People's Defensive War, is an ongoing civil war since 2021. Following Myanmar's long-running insurgencies, which escalated significantly in response to the 2021 military coup d'état and the subsequent violent crackdown on anti-coup protests. The exiled National Unity Government and major ethnic armed organisations repudiated the 2008 Constitution and called instead for a democratic federal state. Besides engaging this alliance, the ruling government of the State Administration Council, or SAC, also contends with other anti-SAC forces in areas under its control. Hannah Beech of The New York Times observed the insurgents are apportioned into hundreds of armed groups scattered across the country.
The Karenni Nationalities Defence Force is an armed insurgent group in Myanmar formed in response to the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. The KNDF also includes other organizations and Operate under the commander-in-chief of Karenni Army (KA) armed wing of KNPP, which an official regard as "good relations between the EAOs and the public" The KNDF has engaged in fighting with the junta, mainly with the 66th Light Infantry Division.
On the night of 23 October 2022, the Myanmar Air Force launched a series of airstrikes in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, Northern Myanmar. The targeted area was within the territory of the Kachin Independence Organization's 9th Brigade in the Anangpa (အနန့်ပါ) area. The airstrikes hit an outdoor concert killing at least 80 civilians, including KIO officials and musical performers.
The following is a timeline of major events during the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), following the 2021 military coup d'état and protests. It was also a renewed intensity in existing internal conflict in Myanmar.
The Three Brotherhood Alliance ;, also known as Brotherhood Alliance, is an alliance between the Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army formed in June 2019.
The 7 EAO Alliance is a coalition of seven ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) in Myanmar.
The rebels are seeking greater autonomy within Burma for ethnic Kachins who have had de facto control over a part of northern Burma for more than 50 years.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)The best such example comes from the United Wa State Army (UWSA), an armed ethnic organisation that has established de facto control over a portion of Northeastern Burma.