In Myanmar’s southeast, former rivals—the Mon and Karen ethnic armed groups—have joined forces to confront the military junta, casting aside decades-old territorial disputes in a coordinated effort to weaken the regime’s grip on Kayin and Mon states.

From Ceasefire to Combat: The NMSP’s Shift

Once aligned with the junta under a 1995 ceasefire, the New Mon State Party (NMSP) delayed reentering combat following the 2021 coup. But battlefield realities have shifted. Two of its divisions broke away in the past year to fight alongside the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), which has been resisting since the coup began. The breakaway units attracted a wave of young Mon recruits eager to defend their communities.

“We need to have our own Mon troops to represent and guard Mon state,” said 28-year-old NMSP fighter Kyaw Zin Latt, who joined after seeing the junta burn homes and abduct villagers.

Junta Loses Grip Amid Ethnic Alliance

The KNLA now provides the NMSP with training, strategic advice, and weapons. Their alliance comes as life in Mon villages deteriorates—electricity is cut, commodity prices soar, and junta checkpoints choke off movement. Forced conscription and digital surveillance create further fear.

Despite past hostilities, both groups are now focused on keeping junta forces confined to barracks while expanding their own influence across Mon and Kayin states.

Avoiding the Regime’s Divide-and-Conquer Tactics

Myanmar’s junta has long exploited ethnic divides to weaken resistance. It has used the Pa-O militia against the Karenni in Shan state and armed Rohingya against the Arakan Army in Rakhine. But the NMSP refused junta overtures to “protect” Mon villages from pro-democracy forces.

Still, unity brings its own risks. In northern Myanmar, the Kachin and Taang armies—once allies—have clashed over territory freed from junta control. Mon fighters like Kwot Sar are aware of these tensions. “There will definitely be some tension,” he said. “But we have to solve it.”