"Myanma Military: Over 500 Desertions in Last 4 Months... 15,000 Since Coup"

It has been claimed that over 15,000 soldiers have deserted since the military coup in Myanmar, including about 500 desertions in the past four months.

According to local Myanmar media on the 26th, Man Win Kaing Than, Prime Minister of the National Unity Government (NUG), the interim government of Myanmar, announced at the 28th cabinet meeting held on the 22nd that a total of about 500 Myanmar soldiers deserted from April to July this year and joined NUG's Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).

Among them were not only police and military soldiers but also many officers, including battalion commanders at the major rank.

Prime Minister Than reported that as the Myanmar military's brutal massacres of civilians continue, and the alliance between NUG's People's Defense Force (PDF) and Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAO) strengthens, offensives have intensified. Recently, desertions have accelerated, including the security guards of the Letpadan copper mine in the Sagaing region, supported by China, defecting and joining the CDM.

Tet Myat, who leads the group 'People's Embrace' that assists soldiers and police in joining the CDM, stated, "Since the coup, the Myanmar military has suffered heavy personnel losses due to deaths, injuries, and unauthorized leaves, leading to increased desertions. As recruitment becomes difficult, marginalized individuals such as homeless people and fugitives are being enlisted, resulting in more new recruits deserting out of fear of death."

In response, the Myanmar military is supporting wounded soldiers with beach vacations and boosting morale by sending entertainers to frontline troops.

Additionally, it is known that the military is easing the criteria for new officer recruitment and desperately recruiting by posting job announcements disguised as private companies on social networking services (SNS).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.