15 April 2026 By Ko Myo
MAE SOT, Thailand — At least 18 members of the Myanmar military have defected or been captured as prisoners of war within a single week, with all of them identified as newly conscripted soldiers, according to the latest data from the resistance monitoring group People’s Goal.
The statistics for the first week of April reveal a growing trend of “forced recruits” (locally known as Pa-Sa) abandoning the ranks. Of the 18 personnel, eight surrendered voluntarily to resistance forces, while the remaining ten were captured during active combat.
The influx of conscripts onto the battlefield follows the military junta’s desperate drive to replenish its losses through a national conscription law. However, analysts and defectors suggest that these new units lack the morale and training necessary for sustained warfare.
“We are seeing a steady stream of conscripts defecting, and this will likely continue,” a CDM (Civil Disobedience Movement) officer based on the border told MPA. “The military is forcibly training these men, but while their numbers on paper might increase, none of these forced recruits have the will to fight in a war they don’t believe in.”
The trend is not isolated to April. In March, People’s Goal recorded 36 personnel who either defected or were captured, including 17 defectors, 14 of whom were conscripts. Since January 2025, the total number of junta personnel who have left the military or been taken prisoner has reached a staggering 3,010.
The human cost of this manpower crisis is stark. Despite recent administrative reshuffles in Naypyidaw, where the military leadership has attempted to project a more “civilian” facade, the reality on the frontlines remains unchanged for ordinary soldiers.
“The leadership promised that a new transition would end the war, but we are seeing the same faces behind new masks,” a statement from People’s Goal noted. “The battles are as intense as ever, and the soldiers remain as hungry, undersupplied, and vulnerable as they have always been.”
For many young men in Myanmar, the choice is increasingly between forced labor in the military or a life of hiding. However, as the latest figures show, even those caught in the conscription trap are finding ways out, either by surrendering at the first opportunity or by being captured when their units collapse under pressure.
As the conflict continues to drain the junta’s resources, the high rate of defection among its newest members raises serious questions about the long-term viability of its recruitment strategy. For the resistance forces, each defector represents not only a decrease in the enemy’s strength but also a potential source of intelligence and a symbolic blow to the regime’s authority.
