Three military personnel from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 275 in Myawaddy, Karen State, have defected to the People’s Defense Force’s Strategic Command 31 Security Division on June 7. The group consisted of one regular soldier from the military council forces and two newly conscripted recruits. The defectors arrived without weapons and voluntarily surrendered to the resistance forces. This development represents another instance of military personnel choosing to leave the military council’s forces.
Among the defectors, one was identified as a local stationed soldier from the battalion, while the other two were conscripts who had been forcibly recruited. The two conscripts, originally from Shwepyithar and Pyay, were reportedly captured and forced into military service while going about their daily work. They were part of the 8th batch of military training at Training Center 3 in Kyaingtaung. Each of the three defectors was awarded 500,000 kyats as an incentive upon their defection to the resistance forces. This incident highlights the ongoing internal challenges faced by the military council’s forces.
The military council continues its campaign of forced conscription across the country, compelling young people into military service against their will. The conscription program has now reached its 14th batch of recruits, indicating the scale of the military council’s forced recruitment efforts. This practice of forced conscription not only violates international laws but also represents a significant human rights violation. The continuing defections from military ranks demonstrate the growing dissatisfaction within the military council’s forces and the impact of their oppressive policies on their own personnel. The resistance forces continue to welcome those who choose to leave the military council’s ranks and join the democratic movement.
