Paletwa: Six Burmese soldiers surrendered to the Arakan Liberation Army (ALA), with weapons on Saturday on the Indo-Burma border after killing their captain and deserting their outpost, stated a report of the Arakan Liberation Party's organizing department.

The statement said that six Burmese soldiers surrendered their weapons to a column of the ALA stationed on the upper Kaladan River near the Indian border after they killed Captain Htet Aung Tun, who was commander of Mritwa outpost in Paletwa Township in Chin State.

The six renegade Burmese soldiers are from Light Battalion 232 based in Ray Chan Byin Village in Sittwe Township, Arakan.

The soldiers were identified as Corporal Than Aye, private number Ta/75184, Lance Corporal Moe Aung, private number Ta/116574, Lance Corporal Zaw Zaw Han, private number Ta/121785, lance Corporal Maung Maung Naing, private number Ta/121743, Private Zaw Min Oo, private number Ta/401336, and Private San Win, private number Ta/243158.

The weapons surrendered to the ALA include six MA-11's, one MA-12, two MA-3's, one MA-79 mortar with ten bullets, one B-100 type mortar with 12 bullets, one 9MM pistol with two magazines and 14 bullets, six granite bombs, six M16 landmines, 10 pieces of equipment, six haversacks, one intercept radio, and several kinds of 1308 bullets, the statement said.

The soldiers were reported as saying that Captain Htet Aung Tun always harassed them in different ways while they were at the outpost in Mritwa. They killed him when they could no longer tolerate the abuse.

The Mritwa outpost is located near the Indian border but falls under the Ngwe Let Wa Camp, where Battalion 232 Commander Kyaw Moe Hein is in charge.

A source close the Burmese Army from Buthidaung confirmed that six Burmese soldiers deserted the Mritwa outpost on the Indo-Burma border along with many sophisticated weapons on May 15.

An operation by the Burmese Army has been underway in the area, with many battalions trying to apprehend the deserters, the source added.

Many soldiers in the Burmese Army have been deserting due to harassment by the upper-ranked soldiers against the lower-ranked soldiers, the lack of equal rights within the army, and insufficient rations, the ALP report said.

ALA is the armed wing of the Arakan Liberation Party established in 1967.