The Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 5 in Mutraw District has announced that two new military recruits have defected from the military council and surrendered to the KNU with their weapons and ammunition. The two soldiers, identified as Maung Win Phyo Kyaw and Maung Soe Aung, arrived in the territory controlled by KNU’s Brigade 5, Battalion 102 on August 4th. They brought with them one MA-1 rifle, one MA-3 rifle, and 340 rounds of ammunition. This defection represents another blow to the military council’s forces and demonstrates the continuing erosion of morale within their ranks.
The two defectors were officially welcomed in a ceremony held by KNU Mutraw District and Brigade 5 leadership on August 19th, where they were each awarded 1 million kyats. The warm reception of these defectors by the KNU highlights the ongoing internal challenges faced by the military council, as more of their forces choose to abandon their posts and join the resistance movement. The defection of armed personnel with their weapons represents a significant development in the current conflict, as it not only reduces the military council’s fighting capacity but also strengthens the resistance forces.
Meanwhile, in a separate development in Chin State, local civilians have turned in weapons and ammunition that were left behind by retreating military council soldiers during the battle for Mindat town. The surrendered weapons include one MA-15 (medium machine gun), one RPG-7, one MA-4, one MA-3, and related equipment. These weapons were handed over to the Chin Defence Force – Mindat headquarters, and the civilians who turned in the weapons were rewarded for their actions. This civilian cooperation demonstrates the strong support for resistance forces in the region and the local population’s commitment to opposing the military council’s rule. The recovery of these abandoned weapons also indicates the hasty retreat of military council forces from the area, further highlighting their weakening position in various parts of the country.
