Karenni Nationalities Defence Force
The Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (Burmese: ကရင်နီအမျိုးသားများကာကွယ်ရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့, abbreviated: KNDF) is an armed insurgent group in Myanmar formed in response to the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. The KNDF also includes other organizations, such as the 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.
| Karenni Nationalities Defence Force | |
|---|---|
| ကရင်နီအမျိုးသားများကာကွယ်ရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့ | |
 Flag of the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force | |
| Founding leader | Khun Bedu |
| Foundation | 31 May 2021 |
| Dates of operation | 31 May 2021 – present |
| Country | Myanmar |
| Active regions | Kayah State Shan State Kayin State Myanmar-Thailand border |
| Ideology | Federalism Democracy Minority rights |
| Size | 7000+ |
| Allies | 4K Coalition Other allies
|
| Opponents | State opponents: Non-state opponents:  Pa-O National Army |
| Battles and wars | |
On 6 June 2023, the KNDF issued a report on two-year anniversary of their founding. They stated that they have established 22 battalions and six military strategies. They also claimed that the junta now has control over Loikaw and other urban wards only, and most areas in the state are under the control of the resistance groups.
Objective
In an interview, the spokesperson of the KNDF told media groups that the KNDF is a fusion of all Karenni State's dispersed youth forces. Uniting them to more effectively fight the junta. It was also stated that they have a shortage of weapons and ammunition.
The objective is the same as that of other resistance groups in Myanmar; to overthrow the military junta. It is also to ensure the unity of the people in Karenni State, encourage collaboration and pay special attention to the Karenni National Progressive Party's position.
Defence policy
The KNDF, which was founded alongside the regional PDFs and other militias, follows the NUG and CRPH's defence policy, according to the KNDF's spokesperson.
The NUG's Ministry of Defence published a seven-point defense policy with the goal of ensuring that the defense industry is democratically controlled and operates according to a federal system.
The policy encompasses leadership, defence policy formulation and execution, legislative and judicial checks and balances on the military sector, defence administration, the enforcement of internationally recognized laws and ethics, title and duty designation, financial management, and resource sharing.
According to the KNDF's spokesman, the KNDF, which was founded in accordance with the NUG's defense plans, has three Karenni State-based PDFs, two Shan State-based PDFs, and several EAOs.
Conflicts
The KNDF has been involved in the Myanmar civil war since May 2021. In 2022, they engaged in 341 clashes with the regime killing 797 junta troops and suffering 65 losses.