A new military recruit from Battalion 602 in Kyaikto, Mon State, has defected to the People’s Defense Force (PDF) on July 19, bringing with him three weapons, as confirmed by Ko Aye Myint Tun, the commander of PDF Battalion 1 in Thaton District. The new recruit, who had completed his training at Ba Htoo and was from Training Batch 10, originally hails from Shwetaung Township.
The defecting soldier brought with him two MA-1 rifles, one MA-3 rifle, six ammunition magazines, 129 rounds of ammunition, and one hand grenade. He had initially made contact on July 10 but was unable to leave until July 19 due to security circumstances. The soldier was extracted during a shopping trip in a joint operation between Strategic Command 27 and the Kyaikto PDF forces.
Ko Aye Myint Tun, the PDF Battalion 1 commander, stated that the defector would receive an honorary reward, and the matter has been reported to the relevant ministry. The ministry will also provide additional compensation based on the weapons brought over. He further encouraged other members of the military council forces to trust the people’s side completely and seek refuge with the public, emphasizing their commitment to protecting those who choose to defect to the people’s side.
