The Pa-O National Army (PNA) is reportedly recruiting expatriate youth in Hopong Township, located in the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone in southern Shan State, according to local sources.
The Pa-O National Organization (PNO) will recall all expatriate men eligible for military service in Hopong Township. According to locals, after this recall, no substitutes will be allowed through payment.
At a meeting held on the morning of 21 February at a monastery in Loiaun village-tract in Hopone Township, PNA officers informed the village heads about the recall of expatriate men for military service.
A local who attended the meeting stated, “As the number of attendees was low, they went door to door to gather people. No one wanted to attend. They told the people that they must join the army to protect their own community, emphasizing that this is a historical duty.”
In Hopong Township, where the PNA administration holds strong influence, many people expressed a desire to serve in the military. However, following Operation 1027, the number of casualties has increased, making it more difficult to recruit new soldiers, according to sources close to the ward and village administration team.
Khun Rein Yan, spokesperson of the Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA), stated: “The PNO militias are lackeys who use ethnicity to protect the dictator. They are protecting the interests of crony Nay Win Tun, who is not Pa-O. Therefore, I want to say that Pa-O youths should understand the truth as soon as possible.”
Since May 2024, the PNA has been collecting money from expatriate youths in Kyauktalonegyi Sub-Township to substitute for military service. Now, they have begun collecting money in Hopong Township as well.
With the aim of holding elections in 2025, the joint forces of the military council and the PNA are launching a strong offensive in Karenni State. It is reported that soldiers are being recruited by force in the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone to support this effort.
Residents stated that the new recruits are being sent to the front lines just two weeks after receiving military training in Special Region 6 in Taunggyi Township, as well as in the villages where most Pa-O people live in Nyaung Shwe Township.
Sent by NMG