Laukkai, 16 November
Regime forces have chosen the path of surrendering with their weapons rather than dying due to the offensives of the revolutionary forces that are fighting against the military dictatorship almost all over the country.
More than 200 military council soldiers and policemen surrendered to ethnic armed forces after the Three Brotherhood Alliance launched Operation 1027 in the first week of November and urged soldiers to join the people’s embrace.
This is the first time in the history of the Myanmar army that the whole Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) surrendered to the MNDAA, except for the entire battalion hiding in the forest during the early days of Myanmar’s independence.
“When some battalions that were supposed to fight to the death from the front surrendered, it became a complete disappointment for other regime members. According to Section 59 of the Tatmadaw Act, deserters can be given the death penalty during such a war, and it is not easy for an entire battalion to surrender, he pointed out.
According to the announcement of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, the first battalion that surrendered was Regional Operations Commands (ROC)’ LIB 129 in Yankhunt village, Manlaw village tract of Kokang Special Region (1), Shishan.
On 12 November night, 262 military family members—126 officers and 134 dependents- from LIB 129, led by battalion commander Major Kyaw Ye Aung, surrendered to the Kokang group, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).
The Three Brotherhood Alliance is inviting more soldiers and police to surrender, and they are confident that more heroes will emerge, such as Battalion Commander Kyaw Ye Aung.
The Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) announced on November 15 that 32 soldiers led by the company commander, Captain Kaung Myat Thu, had surrendered during the KNDF’s occupation of Loikaw in Kayah State (Kareni).
On the other hand, when the Arakan Army (AA), which is participating in Operation 1027, opened a front line in Rakhine state, 22 policemen from the Ah Pauk Wa police station and six others from another police station surrendered with their weapons.
Similarly, the NUG’s Ministry of Defense announced on November 13 that 23 soldiers surrendered in the Chaunghnakhwa battle in Mon State.
The military council not only lost its troops but also nearly 170 military bases and outposts and six towns in Northern Shan State, at least 10 cities in Sagaing Region, and Chin and Karenni States.
CDM Captain Kaung Thu Win said, “The junta army prepares more defenses in towns with Regional Military Commands, and in some places, it is possible to gather forces in one place and fight back.”
According to military sources, the military regime has been using non-combat forces after losing many of its forces during the nearly threeyears of military coup.
U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst, said, “In this situation, if the military is not willing to leave politics, they will soon face a decisive battle.”
According to a viral video, when the revolutionary group confiscated the surrendered soldiers’ equipment during the Chaunghnakhwa Battle, they were only pleading, “There is nothing left but the shirt. Please give me some water.”
In the early days of the 2021 coup, the junta soldiers challenged the people to “come forward if they are brave enough,” but now it is time for regime forces to decide whether to fight to the death or surrender.
News-Than Lwin Times
Photo- The Kokang
Thanlwintimes