YE TOWNSHIP, Myanmar — Forced into service under a contentious national conscription law, an increasing number of new recruits are fleeing the Myanmar military to join the very resistance forces they were sent to fight.
The Ye Guerrilla Force (YGF), an armed resistance group operating in southern Mon State, confirmed that 11 soldiers have defected to their ranks since the beginning of 2026. All of the defectors are reported to be new conscripts who were recently drafted into the military’s Light Infantry Battalions.
Of those who have surrendered to the YGF, nine have already taken up active roles in combat and logistics operations against the military junta. “At the moment, nine of them are fully integrated—both in fighting and support roles,” Saw Khit Thit, a representative of the YGF, told MPA. “They are all fresh conscripts who decided they could no longer serve the regime.”
The most recent defection occurred on the morning of April 4, when two soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion 343 fled their post. The duo, who had originally been snatched from the streets of Dawei and Kyaukse in “press-gang” style abductions, arrived at the YGF camp carrying two MA-1 assault rifles, ammunition, and their full military gear.
The YGF has established a reward system to encourage defections, offering 3 million Kyats ($1,400 USD) for those who bring a firearm and smaller amounts for those with ammunition or without equipment. However, the group admitted it is struggling to meet these financial commitments due to severe budget constraints.
“We are facing difficulties in paying out the promised rewards,” Saw Khit Thit added, appealing to the public for donations to help sustain the defection program. “These rewards are a crucial incentive for soldiers considering an escape from the frontline.”
The trend of new recruits joining the resistance is not isolated to Mon State. A report by the Myanmar Defense and Security Institute (MDSI) indicates that a significant majority of defectors nationwide are now actively participating in operations against their former commanders.
The soldiers fleeing to the YGF were previously stationed in various units, including the 19th Military Operations Command. Many describe an environment of low morale and fear, particularly among those who were forcibly conscripted.
As the military continues its desperate push for manpower through arbitrary arrests and mandatory service, the growing presence of former soldiers in the resistance ranks highlights a deepening internal crisis for the junta. For the YGF and other guerrilla units, these defectors provide not only additional boots on the ground but also vital intelligence on military movements in one of the country’s most contested regions.
