Two soldiers from Infantry Battalion 224 of the military council have defected to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Battalion 11’s Cobra Column during a battle near Theinkone village in Tanintharyi Township, Tanintharyi Region. The Battalion Commander of KNU Brigade 4 Battalion 11 Headquarters confirmed that the defectors, consisting of a corporal and a private, brought with them two MA-1 rifles, nine ammunition magazines, and over 328 rounds of ammunition when they surrendered to the resistance forces.
According to the testimonies of the defecting soldiers, there are many others within the military council’s ranks who wish to escape. The military council has been deploying new recruits in what amounts to suicide missions, placing them in situations where they can neither advance nor retreat. The Battalion Commander assessed that this pattern of defection is likely to increase in the coming period, given the deteriorating conditions within the military council’s forces. The incident occurred on May 9 near Theinkone village along the Maw Taung border trade route.
The defecting soldiers will receive honorary rewards for bringing their weapons and ammunition with them during their surrender. This defection serves as a clear indication of the declining morale and growing disillusionment within the military council’s ranks, according to the Battalion Commander. The situation highlights the increasing internal challenges faced by the military council, as more of its soldiers seek ways to escape the oppressive conditions and forced military service that characterize their deployment in conflict zones across Myanmar.
