Sanctioned DKBA leader rises in power shake-up

The Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) has promoted a senior commander under international sanctions, signalling a controversial consolidation of power within the armed group.

Brigadier General Sai Kyaw Hla, recently blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury Department for alleged involvement in transnational cyber-scams, has been elevated to Major General and placed in charge of the DKBA’s Central Economic Committee. The decision was confirmed during the organisation’s 19th Year-End Commanders’ Meeting, held from 21 to 24 December at its headquarters.

Washington’s sanctions accuse Sai Kyaw Hla of supporting online money laundering operations targeting victims worldwide. These activities are said to be concentrated in DKBA-controlled zones along the Thai-Myanmar border, including the Shunda Park compound in Minletpan, which was raided earlier this year by the Karen National Union (KNU). Despite the allegations, DKBA leaders have entrusted him with overseeing the group’s financial affairs.

The meeting also reshaped the DKBA’s military hierarchy. General Saw Steel, the outgoing Commander-in-Chief and himself under U.S. sanctions, has been moved to a ceremonial role as patron of the Central Advisory Council. His successor, Saw Shwe Wa, was promoted to General and appointed Commander-in-Chief, while Brigadier General Saw Ba Nyein Aung stepped into the role of Deputy Commander-in-Chief.

These changes come as the DKBA reaffirms its position as a signatory of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and its backing of the junta’s planned election. The junta, meanwhile, has claimed to be cracking down on scam hubs in areas such as Shwe Kokko, while accusing both the DKBA and the KNU of fuelling instability through their economic networks.

By promoting sanctioned figures to senior posts, the DKBA appears to be tightening its leadership around those most closely linked to the border region’s lucrative but controversial economic zones. The move raises fresh questions about the group’s role in Myanmar’s conflict economy and its relationship with the wider political landscape.

-2025-12-30