Five junta navy personnel including a corporal and lance corporal deserted with their weapons from Mawrawati Navy Headquarters in Kan Pauk Village, Yebyu Township, in Tanintharyi Region’s Dawei District, at 2:00 a.m. on 27 October.

A resident of Kan Pauk Village said: “We heard that five junta soldiers ran away from the navy base… I think this is the second time navy personnel have deserted from the base.”

Junta forces are still currently looking for the deserters. They have been searching in the villages of Kan Pauk, Moyma, Hlekone, Michaung Aing, Gangaw Taung, Pa Ya, Zardi, and also near the Taungyinin Road intersection.

Previously, 12 junta navy personnel, including a medical captain, deserted from Mawrawati Navy Headquarters, in September 2022, meaning that so far 17 junta personnel have deserted from the base.