Three newly recruited soldiers who were forcibly conscripted into Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 431 based in Kawthaung Township, Tanintharyi Region, have successfully escaped and defected to the local People’s Defense Force known as Pyan Hlwar Forces. The three soldiers have been identified as Ko Akar Htun, Ko Hla Win Maung, and Ko Aung Htun Linn. According to reports, they were initially arrested in Thailand, transferred from Ranong to Kawthaung, and then forcibly recruited as new soldiers by the military council before being assigned to LIB 431.
According to Comrade Phil Nix, a responsible officer from the Pyan Hlwar Forces, the newly recruited soldiers managed to escape after only spending about ten days in the battalion. Initially, there were ten soldiers who attempted to escape, but seven of them encountered military council troops during their escape attempt. These seven were violently beaten with metal pipes and subsequently recaptured. However, Ko Akar Htun, Ko Hla Win Maung, and Ko Aung Htun Linn successfully managed to escape and have now joined the Pyan Hlwar Forces.
The Pyan Hlwar Forces have announced that they will continue to welcome soldiers who wish to escape from the military council’s forces. They have issued an open invitation to any military council soldiers who wish to seek refuge with the people to contact their organization. The military council’s forced recruitment practices have been causing significant hardship for civilians, with new recruits being compelled to serve against their will. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of forced military service under the military council’s rule, where individuals are being coerced into military service without their consent.
