For the first time in centuries, war elephants have returned in significant numbers to Southeast Asia, now being used to supply resistance forces along the frontlines in Myanmar.
A video shared by the People’s Defense Forces recently shows the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) rebels riding elephants in a remote town of Kyaukse. The group is also seen armed with 60mm mortars, MA-4 MK 2 rifles equipped with BA203 grenade launchers, Wa-81 rifles, and MA-1 MK 2 rifles.
War elephants are back on the frontlines in South East Asia, being deployed to supply resistance forces across the frontlines in Myanmar.pic.twitter.com/a9KJQSf5aa
— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 19, 2025
The KIA is one of the largest guerrilla factions in Asia. They inhabit a resource-rich region, about the size of Portugal. According to reports, they rely on mortar shells, rusty assault rifles, 10,000 fighters (including women), and around 50 elephants to defend their territory against domination by Myanmar’s military.
War elephants have a long history in Southeast Asia, particularly in ancient India, Burma, and the Khmer Empire. Their thick, inch-long skin was nearly impervious to attack. Swordsmen who attempted to engage often found themselves trampled or, even worse, skewered by tusks, which were sometimes equipped with metal spikes.
While they were once used in combat, advances in modern weaponry rendered them obsolete on the battlefield by the 19th century.
Unlike historical war elephants, which were used as siege weapons, the KIA’s elephants serve strictly logistical purposes. They are tasked with carrying food, weapons, medicine, and other supplies to frontline fighters in areas inaccessible to vehicles.
“In the deep jungle, an elephant is the only way to bring in supplies, Colonel James Lum Dau, a foreign affairs specialist who has served the KIA for decades, told The World. “You’ll mostly find them in remote areas. Places where cars and trucks cannot go.”
Experts believe that elephants are no longer used as weapons today because they proved difficult to manage, as they were easily startled by gunfire. Additionally, troops became so attached to these animals that they would hesitate to abandon them during battle, which could jeopardize the mission.
The last recorded use of combat elephants in Myanmar was in 1825 during the First Anglo-Burmese War.
