| Kawthoolei Armed Forces | |
| Native Name: | ကော်သူးလေတပ်မတော် |
| Native Name Lang: | my |
| Dates: | – present |
| Ideology: | Karen nationalism Separatism |
| Allies: | National Unity Government of Myanmar |
| Opponents: |
|
| Battles: | Myanmar civil war (2021–present) |
The Kawthoolei Armed Forces (Burmese: ကော့သူးလေတပ်မတော်; abbr. KAF) is an ethnic Karen rebel alliance.[1]
In October 2014, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, the Karen National Defence Organisation, and the Karen National Union allegedly decided to unite into the KAF. However, many within the KNU and KNDO leadership swiftly denied that it agreed, claiming that those who joined the KAF made a "personal choice."[2] [3] [4] [5]
After DKBA-5, the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, and the KNLA signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement a year later, a statement ostensibly written by the KAF denounced the NCA for solidifying military rule in Myanmar.[6]
After the 2021 coup, the KNU and DKBA verbally agreed to reunite into the KAF in August 2022 after the latter group's negotiations with the Tatmadaw fell apart.[7]
Myanmar