Around 800 junta soldiers have surrendered to the Arakha Army (AA) during the battle to capture Ann town, the largest military council headquarters in Arakan State.
Military sources said that some soldiers surrendered during the battle, with most choosing to offer their surrender to the AA as they did not wish to fight.
A source said, “There are still no military families among those who have surrendered. As of early November, more than 700 to 800 junta soldiers have defected, and more continue to do so. At the moment, I cannot provide further details.”
The military council has relocated many military families from the Western Command and other camps to the No. 88 Light Infantry Division in Magway.
Among the junta soldiers currently surrendering to the AA are those who were drafted under the conscription law, as well as soldiers holding the rank of major.
Another source said, “Now, most of the soldiers who have surrendered in Ann are those who were sent to the front line under the People’s Military Service Law. Military officers are also among those who have defected.”
At the end of last October, the Deputy Commander of the Western Command Brigadier General Thaung Tun and his team fled from Ann to Magway in a Mi-17 helicopter.
According to military sources, since the end of September, when the battle in Ann intensified, the military council has been deploying soldiers trained under the Military Service Law from the mainland to the frontlines by air.
Analysts say that it is not the right approach for the junta to recruit and send men to the frontlines as a means of supplementing the dwindling troop strength.
“The people were forcibly recruited, trained, and compelled to fight. They came here with no intention of attacking. As the offensive on the Arakan battlefield is more intense than in other regions, they will not be able to withstand the pressure and will ultimately be forced to surrender. In the end, this benefit both sides,” said an Arakan politician.
The AA has taken control of eight camps, including the military security affairs unit, out of 18 battalions and divisions, including the Western Command, in Ann Township. Fighting intensifies daily as the AA continues to assault the remaining 10 bases, including the Western Command.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG)
