A soldier from the military council’s Division 101 based in Pakokku, Magway Region, and a new recruit from Infantry Battalion 429 based in Bawlakhe, Loikaw Township, Karenni State, have defected to respective People’s Defense Forces with their weapons and ammunition. The defector from Pakokku, Private Myo Min Aung, who was serving in Division 101, brought with him one MA-1 rifle, 60 rounds of ammunition, and three magazines when he contacted and defected to the Myaing PDF Battalion 1, Company 2 Garuda People’s Defense Force.
Myo Min Aung was forcibly recruited as a porter by soldiers from Division 33 while he was driving near Sagaing Bridge in Sagaing Township in December 2024, after which he was transferred to Division 101 in Pakokku. The Myaing PDF has announced that soldiers, Pyu Saw Htee members, police, and people’s militia members within Pakokku District who wish to defect can contact nearby Myaing PDF units, and all defectors will be warmly welcomed.
In Loikaw Township, the defector was a new recruit from Infantry Battalion 429 based in Bawlakhe, who brought with him one MA-1 rifle, ammunition, and magazines. According to Lin Lin, the Central Information Officer of Loikaw Local PDF, the soldier was a graduate of the military’s Basic Military Training Course No. 4 and had been forcibly recruited into the military. The Loikaw Township Local People’s Defense Force provides full security for defectors and allows them to make their own choices freely while helping them integrate warmly into civilian life.
The People’s Defense Forces have announced that they warmly welcome and provide full security protection for all military personnel, officers, lower-ranking soldiers, and non-CDM staff who seek refuge with them. They emphasize that they respect the wishes of those who defect and will ensure their protection while helping them transition to civilian life. The organizations maintain a policy of providing safe haven for anyone choosing to leave the military council’s forces, recognizing the forced recruitment and oppression many have faced under the military regime.
