CNI News

30 August 2025

On August 28, 2025, the Anti-Terrorism Central Committee, under the State Security and Peace Commission, announced that the Karen National Union (KNU) has been designated a terrorist group.

Additionally, the Ministry of Home Affairs also declared the KNU an unlawful association on August 28, 2025.

The Anti-Terrorism Central Committee's statement claimed that the KNU is committing terrorist acts such as planting mines and destroying public roads and bridges, attacking densely populated towns and villages with heavy artillery from a distance, carrying out drop bomb attacks, killing innocent civilians, forcibly recruiting new members, and destroying state-owned buildings, vehicles, machinery, and equipment.

For these reasons, the KNU has been declared a terrorist group, stated the committee.

Similarly, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the Interim President of the State believes that the objectives and actions of the KNU, its members, organizations it has formed, and individuals affiliated with these organizations are a threat and a danger to the rule of law, state stability, and public peace and tranquility.

Therefore, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared the KNU an unlawful association.

The KNU is a Karen armed group that had signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

However, following the political changes in Myanmar after February 1, 2021, the KNU withdrew from the NCA and has been fighting the Myanmar Tatmadaw, attempting to seize towns and trade routes within Kayin State.