Six members of the junta’s forces surrendered to fighters from the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) on Saturday and joined the anti-coup resistance during a raid on a police station in Mindat Township, Chin State.
The CDF said they were able to capture the police station in the small, remote town of M’kuiimnu without firing a shot and that three soldiers, including a captain, and three police officers agreed to join the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).
“They just asked them if they wanted to fight or if they would take part in the CDM,” a man who is close to the Mindat branch of the CDF told Myanmar Now. “We’re lucky that all of them were already leaning towards joining the CDM. Everything was sorted out without even needing to use guns.”
The CDF fighters seized 22 guns including rifles and pistols, as well as rounds of ammunition, a spokesperson for the group said.
Captain Thein Hteik was among the soldiers who agreed to collaborate with the CDF, the spokesperson said, though he did not give further details about what that would entail.
There were previously around 20 troops stationed at the police station, but most had already defected and left their posts, according to the CDF spokesperson.
“This is a battle for every Myanmar civilian,” the spokesperson said. “Because this is a matter of the people, if you are truly a people’s soldier or a people’s police officer, I suggest you join us as soon as you can.”
Captain Tun Myat Aung, who defected from the military’s 77th Light Infantry Division in March, urged other soldiers to defect and collaborate with local People’s Defence Forces.
“Mindat is leading the revolution,” he told Myanmar Now. “Mindat was the first place to engage in armed struggle against the military council. I would like to urge other military bases to join the CDM so that we have more reinforcements.”
The military council has not commented on the CDF’s occupation of M’kuiimnu police station. A junta spokesperson did not answer calls seeking comment.
A weeks-long ceasefire between the CDF and the military ended on July 21. At least six CDF fighters have since been killed in clashes.
“We’ve been fighting while waiting for the NUG’s signal for an all-out war,” said the CDF spokesperson, referring to the underground National Unity Government. “The whole country is struggling to overthrow this 70-year-long dictatorship.”
Between April 24 and June 8 there were more than 20 clashes in Mindat, resulting in the destruction of six military vehicles. The CDF killed over 200 junta soldiers and lost 24 of its own fighters in that time, the Mindat People’s Administration Team said last week.
