A former soldier and a new recruit who were forcibly conscripted by the military in Monywa Township, Sagaing Region, have defected to revolutionary forces with a firearm, according to a spokesperson from the Northwest Plains Revolutionary Forces (NPRF). The defectors, identified as Private Kyaw Oo and former soldier Thiha, brought with them an MA-1 rifle and two hand grenades when they joined the resistance forces.
The defection took place on August 13 when the two men escaped from a military column operating along the Kyaukka road in Monywa Township. Despite coming under fire from pursuing military forces, they bravely made their way to join the revolutionary allies. Thiha, the former soldier, had previously served time in military prison in 2011 and had been supporting his family through honest work when he was forcibly taken as a porter by the military and subsequently conscripted as a new recruit.
Of the two defectors, one is from Taungoo Township while the other is from Myaungmya Township. They received military training at Defense Services Training School No. 5 in Kwin Kauk Township as part of Training Batch 10. After being transferred from Battalion 304 in Mutpyi to the Kyaukka road area in Monywa, they managed to escape without any prior contact with resistance forces. Upon learning of their desertion, revolutionary forces, together with their allies, conducted a difficult search and rescue operation to secure their safe passage.
This incident demonstrates how military officers and officials continue to oppress their own personnel for personal gain, showing complete disregard for the lives of those under their command. The NPRF has urged young people who have been forcibly recruited into military service not to trust any opportunities promised by the military, and to join the Defense Forces and their allies whenever possible. This case highlights the ongoing practice of forced conscription by the military council and their brutal treatment of civilians and their own personnel alike.
