Kawthoolei Army

{{Short description|Ethnic armed organisation in Myanmar}}

{{Distinguish|text=the Kawthoolei Armed Forces}}

{{Infobox militant organization

| name = Kawthoolei Army

| logo =

| caption =

| native_name = ကော်သူးလေတပ်မတော်

| native_name_lang = Sgaw Karen/ Po Karen

| other_name =

| leader = General Saw Nerdah Mya - General Officer Commanding (GOC.)

Lieutenant General Saw Hsar Gay Po - Vice Chief of Staff (VCS.)

| foundation =

| dates = {{Start date|df=yes|2022|7|16}} – present

| dissolved =

| merger =

| split =

| predecessor =

| merged =

| successor =

| country =

| allegiance =

| motives =

| area = Kayin State
Mon State
Tanintharyi Region
Myanmar-Thailand border

| headquarters =

| religion = Christianity
Buddhism

| newspaper =

| ideology = Karen nationalism
Right of
Self-determination

| position =

| crimes =

| attacks =

| status =

| size = 1,500+

| revenue =

| financing =

| allies = All organization which fight against the Burmese Army- no specific agreement regarding politics.

• {{flagicon image|Flag_of_PDF_Myanmar.svg}} People's Defense Force

{{flagicon image|Flag of the People's Liberation Army (Myanmar).png}} People's Liberation Army

| opponents = {{flag|Myanmar}} (SAC)

• {{flagicon image|Flag of the Myanmar Armed Forces.svg}} Tatmadaw
• {{army|MYA}}
• {{flagicon image|Mm-south-eastern-rmc.svg}} Southeastern Command
• {{flagicon image|Mm-coastal-rmc.svg}} Coastal Region Command
• {{flagicon image|Flag of Myanmar.svg}} Border Guard Forces
• {{flagicon image|Flag of the Myanmar Police Force.svg}} Myanmar Police Force
• {{flagicon image|Flag of Myanmar.svg}} Pyusawhti militias

| battles = Internal conflict in Myanmar

• Myanmar civil war (2021–present)
• Shwe Kokko Offensive{{Cite web|date=2023-05-11 |title=Into the lion's den: The failed attack on Shwe Kokko |url=https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/into-the-lions-den-the-failed-attack-on-shwe-kokko/ |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Frontier Myanmar |language=en-US|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630002633/https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/into-the-lions-den-the-failed-attack-on-shwe-kokko/|archive-date=June 30, 2023}}

| flag = File:Flag of the Karen National Union.svg

| website =

| module =

}}

The Kawthoolei Army{{Cite news |url=https://karennews.org/2023/02/on-karen-revolution-day-the-kawthoolei-army-released-5-detained-policemen-in-myawaddy-karen-state/ |title=On Karen Revolution Day the Kawthoolei Army released 5 detained policemen in Myawaddy Karen state |date=2023-02-04 |publisher=Karen News |language=en|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223042316/https://karennews.org/2023/02/on-karen-revolution-day-the-kawthoolei-army-released-5-detained-policemen-in-myawaddy-karen-state/|archive-date=December 23, 2023 }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/thousands-flee-as-myanmar-junta-artillery-gunships-attack-villages-in-karen-state.html |title=Thousands Flee as Myanmar Junta Artillery, Gunships Attack Villages in Karen State |date=2023-01-25 |publisher=The Irrawaddy |language=en|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223042313/https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/thousands-flee-as-myanmar-junta-artillery-gunships-attack-villages-in-karen-state.html|archive-date=December 23, 2023 }} ({{langx|my|ကော်သူးလေ တပ်မတော်}}; abbr. KTLA) is a militant and separatist group in Myanmar, split from Karen National Union.

In April 2023, the KTLA launched an offensive against the Kayin State BGF in Shwe Kokko, forcing over 10,000 people to flee into Thailand.{{Cite web|date=2023-05-11 |title=Into the lion's den: The failed attack on Shwe Kokko |url=https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/into-the-lions-den-the-failed-attack-on-shwe-kokko/ |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=Frontier Myanmar |language=en-US|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630002633/https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/into-the-lions-den-the-failed-attack-on-shwe-kokko/|archive-date=June 30, 2023}}

The KTLA is reportedly associated with an Italian neo-fascist group Casa Pound through the group "Popoli Onlus Solidarity Community".{{Cite web|date=2023-05-11 |title=Italian classical fascist group CasaPound portrayed itself as NGO and trying to mislead Karen National Union|url=https://libcom.org/article/italian-classical-fascist-group-casapound-portrayed-itself-ngo-and-trying-mislead-karen |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=Libcom.org |language=en-US|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428152435/https://libcom.org/article/italian-classical-fascist-group-casapound-portrayed-itself-ngo-and-trying-mislead-karen|archive-date=April 28, 2025}}