Two soldiers from the military council’s Infantry Battalion 224 have defected to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) with their weapons during a battle near Theinkone village in Tanintharyi Township, Tanintharyi Region, as confirmed by the KNU Brigade 4 Battalion 11 Headquarters Commander. The defectors, consisting of a corporal and a private, surrendered to the KNLA Battalion 11’s Cobra Special Force during the fighting near Theinkone village along the Mawtaung border trade route in Tanintharyi Township on May 9.
The defecting soldiers brought with them two MA-1 rifles, nine ammunition magazines, and 328 rounds of ammunition. As a result of their defection with weapons, they will be awarded special recognition payments. According to their testimonies, many soldiers within the military council’s forces want to escape but haven’t found the opportunity to do so. They revealed that the military council is using new recruits as cannon fodder in battles, placing them in situations where they can neither advance nor retreat, leading many soldiers to consider defection as their only option for survival.
The KNU Brigade 4 Battalion 11 Headquarters Commander analyzed that the situation within the military council’s forces is extremely dire, with most soldiers experiencing low morale and waiting for opportunities to escape. He explained that due to the military council’s oppressive treatment, soldiers no longer wish to serve in the military, and more defections are expected in the coming days. The commander added that revealing these internal conditions of the military council’s forces could encourage others who wish to defect, providing hope for those seeking to escape the military’s oppressive system. The testimonies of these defectors highlight the deteriorating conditions within the military council’s forces and the growing dissatisfaction among its ranks.
