An announcement by the Myanmar junta in its official newspapers on Monday encouraged soldiers who have deserted or gone AWOL (absent without leave) to return to their barracks, shedding light on the vulnerability of the regime's military amid a growing nationwide resistance offensive.

In the announcement, the junta states that returning soldiers will be pardoned for any minor offenses they may have committed. However, the announcement does not specify the nature of these minor offenses.

The regime claims that its offer to reinstate the soldiers is made "at their request," but this assertion has been widely dismissed. The Myanmar military has been significantly depleted since the 2021 coup, grappling with a recruitment crisis, desertions, and substantial casualties in daily clashes with resistance forces.

A sergeant currently serving in the Myanmar military, who has been involved in previous arrests of deserters, revealed that not only have many soldiers already deserted, but also that "Even the soldiers [still] in the military earnestly wish to flee. Those who have deserted will never return." He added that, based on his experience, deserters who are arrested typically run away again after completing their punishment, highlighting the reluctance to serve in a military with unpredictable leadership.

Since last year, the regime has compiled lists of deserters and sent notices to their homes, ordering them to return to duty or face consequences. It has also recalled veterans, threatening to suspend their pensions if they refuse to return.

The civilian National Unity Government (NUG) reported that over 20,000 soldiers and police have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement over the past two years.

Between late October and November 30, the Myanmar regime lost 19 towns and 303 outposts across the country to the resistance offensive. Numerous junta soldiers surrendered in various states, and in Kokang, northern Shan State, three junta battalions surrendered entirely.

Simultaneously, the NUG and the Brotherhood Alliance, a coalition of three ethnic armed organizations opposing the regime in Shan and Rakhine states, as well as other parts of the country, have urged junta personnel to surrender. They promise humane treatment and a safety guarantee to those who choose to surrender.

Following the Brotherhood Alliance's Operation 1027 offensive launched in late October, the regime reportedly intensified conscription and allegedly compelled family members of existing personnel to undergo military training.

BOB Post