Two new soldiers from Infantry Battalion 273 based in Kan Pauk, Ye Phyu Township, Tanintharyi Region, have defected to the resistance with weapons. The soldiers, Yan Shin and Thu Ra Win, who had completed Training Batch 8, surrendered to Battalion 7 of the Dauna Battalion’s Strike Force under the Launglone Peninsula Force (LPF) on May 4th. They brought with them one MA-1 rifle, two ammunition magazines, and 200 rounds of ammunition. Both soldiers were victims of forced conscription into the military council’s forces – one was deported from Thailand and forcibly enlisted, while the other was captured in Bago Region and forced into military service.
One of the defectors is from Kan Pauk area in Ye Phyu Township, while the other is from Myeik. They underwent military training in Myeik and managed to escape during fighting in the eastern region. The LPF welcomed the defectors and awarded them recognition money – 4 million kyats for the soldier who brought the weapon and 1 million kyats for the other. According to Leo, the Information and Communications Officer of the Launglone Peninsula Force (LPF), both soldiers are currently being kept in a secure location, and arrangements are being made to transfer them to liberated areas as per their request.
The LPF spokesperson emphasized that they continue to welcome any other soldiers who wish to defect from the military council’s forces. The resistance group encourages those who have been forcibly conscripted into the military council’s forces to bring their weapons and join the people’s side when opportunities arise. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of forced conscription by the military council and demonstrates how some soldiers are seeking ways to escape from forced military service. The defection of these two soldiers, along with their weapons and ammunition, represents a significant development in the resistance movement against the military council in the Tanintharyi Region.
