On April 19th, Mutraw News reported that four soldiers from the Military Council stationed at the Le Toe camp in the Mutraw (Hpapun) District of the Karen National Union (KNU) surrendered and defected to the 5th Brigade of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). According to the report, the soldiers cited insufficient food and difficulties as their reasons for surrendering.

According to Mutraw News, the surrender of frontline soldiers from the Military Council to the KNLA 5th Brigade has become a regular occurrence, happening on a monthly basis, and four soldiers from the 341st Light Infantry Battalion stationed at the Le Toe camp once again surrendered to the 5th Brigade on April 10th, bringing with them their full complement of weapons and equipment.

As they surrendered to KNLA officers, soldiers from the Military Council disclosed that they had been subjected to coercive treatment by their superiors while stationed at the frontline military camp. Furthermore, they revealed that the situation had become unbearable due to inadequate daily food provisions.

Four soldiers from the Military Council, identified as Maung Toe Tone (28), Aung Paing Phyo (23), Ye Htet Kyaw (21), and Cho Lwin Oo (30), surrendered to the officers of the 5th Brigade of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Upon surrender, they handed over four MA-1 assault rifles, along with 16 cartridges fully loaded with ammunition, two grenades, and five warheads for rocket-propelled grenades.

According to Mutraw News, the four soldiers who defected also expressed their willingness to join the KNLA and take up arms against the Military Council forces.

Similarly, a soldier of the Military Council stationed in the 5th Brigade’s territory surrendered to the KNLA 5th Brigade in January. He cited unbearable torture and insufficient food provided by the leaders as the reasons for his defection.

The KNLA released a statement indicating that the KNU warmly received and provided care to the Military Council troops who surrendered and defected.