Myanmar’s military has turned to local militia groups for help in its efforts to eliminate People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) active in southern Shan State, according to sources in the region.
On the morning of August 7, seven military vehicles from the army’s Eastern Command headquarters in Taunggyi arrived in Namsang to meet with the leader of the Mat Kyeng militia, which is based in the town, a local resident told Myanmar Now.
“They said the protests have calmed down now, but they want reinforcements in case there’s an emergency,” the Namsang resident said, citing a member of the militia group.
The Mat Kyeng militia is one of many such armed groups operating around the country. Like most, it is under the command of the Myanmar military, but active only within its own area.
The source said that it wasn’t clear how many reinforcements the military wanted, but added that the militia’s leader, Linn Sein, was told to have them “on standby”.
According to Southern Shan State Generations (SSSG), a PDF based in the area, the junta has been pressuring local militias to “clear the territory” of resistance fighters.
An SSSG member claimed that each militia had been told to provide 100 troops to help the regime locate local PDFs. He added that there are five PDFs active in the area, although none are currently engaged in clashes.
On August 6, a soldier from Light Infantry Battalion 516 was shot in the arm and captured by the SSSG while attempting to launch a drone near the group’s base, the SSSG member said.
“When we asked him why he was in our territory, he said he was a deserter. He died before we could ask any more questions,” he told Myanmar Now.
In addition to the drone, the soldier also had a GPS device. Other members of his unit were spotted nearby but managed to escape, he added.
