A newly recruited soldier who was forcibly conscripted by the military council while returning from abroad on the Yangon-Monywa road in Sagaing Region has defected to the 8+ Central Plains Operation Group. According to a spokesperson from the resistance group, the soldier was from Training Batch 11 and had completed his military training in Taunggyi. The incident occurred when he was traveling back to his hometown via express bus on the Yangon-Monywa highway, where the military council forces stopped the vehicle and forcibly recruited him as a porter.
The military council is known for its systematic practice of forcing civilians traveling on passenger vehicles to serve as porters, and in this case, they detained the individual from an express bus. According to the 8+ Central Plains Operation Group official, after the soldier’s defection, they provided him with necessary clothing and other essential items before safely escorting him back to his family. For security reasons, the specific township where the defector resides cannot be disclosed.
The 8+ Central Plains Operation Group continues to welcome defectors from the military council’s forces, including both serving soldiers and new recruits. The military council has been implementing systematic forced conscription and porter recruitment practices, violating civilians’ freedom of movement. This incident highlights the ongoing pattern of human rights violations by the military council, which continues to forcibly recruit civilians and subject them to military service against their will. The resistance group has emphasized their commitment to assisting those who wish to defect from the military council’s forces, ensuring their safety and supporting their transition back to civilian life.
