Up to 800 junta soldiers surrender in battle for Ann

By Admin 16 Nov 2024

DMG Newsroom
16 November 2024, Ann

Upwards of 800 junta soldiers have surrendered to the Arakkha Army (AA) in the battle for control of Ann Town in Arakan State, where the military's strategically important Western Command headquarters is based.

"Between 700 to 800 soldiers have surrendered since the beginning of the fighting and more soldiers continue to surrender. We can't provide details yet," said one source.

Family members of Myanmar military soldiers from the Western Command and other junta bases in Ann Township have been relocated to the 88th Light Infantry Division headquarters in Magway Region, according to sources.

The soldiers who have surrendered range from draftees forcibly recruited under the mandatory military service law to majors and other high-ranking personnel.

"Most of those surrendering in Ann are conscripts brought to the front lines by the military conscription law. There were also officers among them," another source said.

Late last month, Western Command Deputy Commander Brigadier General Thaung Tun and his staff departed Ann for Magwe in a Mi-17 helicopter.

The junta has been airlifting draftees to the front line since late September as the battle for Ann has intensified.

Critics say the strategy is flawed, and that mass surrender is its predictable outcome.

"Forcing civilians to undergo training and sending them to fight is not the right approach. They are not willing to fight," said an Arakanese politician. "The battlefield in Arakan State is much more intense than other regions, and conscripts can't withstand the pressure, leading to their surrender. But this is good for them and the AA."

The AA has captured eight of the 18 military battalions in Ann Township, including the military security affairs battalion. Intense clashes have been reported almost daily as the AA ramps up its attacks on other positions including the Western Command headquarters, the largest military installation in Arakan State.