The KNU Kler Lwee Htoo District has announced that four soldiers who were forcibly recruited by the military council have defected to the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Battalion 9 in Kyaukkyi Township, Bago Region, bringing their weapons and ammunition with them. The incident occurred on July 8, involving soldiers from Infantry Battalion 20 (Nyaunglebin) and Infantry Battalion 581 (Kawthaung). These soldiers had been conscripted into military service against their will by the military council.
The defectors include Private Nyi Nyi Lwin and Private Nant Maung from Training Batch 8, and Private Soe Htay Aung and Private Myint Myat Aung from Training Batch 5. They brought with them two MA-11 rifles, one MA-2 rifle, one MA-1 rifle, along with ammunition magazines and bullets. In recognition of their defection with weapons, KNLA Battalion 9 awarded each soldier a reward of 1 million kyats.
The Karen National Union and other ethnic revolutionary forces have welcomed these defectors who have chosen to lay down their arms and join their ranks. They continue to encourage other forcibly recruited soldiers not to serve the military dictatorship’s orders and instead defect to nearby ethnic revolutionary forces in their respective areas. This act of defection represents a strong statement against the military council’s practice of forced recruitment and demonstrates growing resistance within the ranks of conscripted soldiers. The ethnic revolutionary forces maintain their commitment to accepting and protecting those who choose to defect from the military council’s forces, particularly those who were forced into service against their will.
