Multiple officers dispatched as reinforcements to the Ann battleground, where fierce clashes with the Arakan Army (AA) are taking place, have disappeared after losing communication with their support battalions. This has prompted the junta to examine the families of officers from the battalions located in Pathein and Danubyu, as reported by local military sources.
Military sources in Pathein disclosed that the junta is scrutinizing the families of 10 officers, which includes Major Win Zaw Moe and Lieutenant Tun Min, from the 11th Infantry Battalion in Pathein, Ayeyarwady Region, as well as the 108th Light Infantry Battalion in Danubyu. These officers lost touch with their battalions after being deployed to support the combat in Ann, Arakan State.
The junta is concentrating its scrutiny on multiple officers and their relatives in Pathein, alleging that they fled after becoming unreachable.
A military source in Pathein revealed, “This information has leaked from the military. Several junta soldiers, including a major, from the light infantry battalions stationed in Pathein and Danubyu have deserted the front lines. The junta is currently scrutinizing officers and their families in the support battalions, alleging that they are encouraging desertion.”
Moreover, the junta's special forces are reviewing the military intelligence and staff departments of the 11th Infantry Battalion in Pathein, along with the Ayeyarwady Region Police Department.
There have also been reports that multiple junta soldiers, including some officers, have surrendered to the AA during the current clashes in Ann. Additionally, several junta officers and troops from Ayeyarwady Region, assigned to Arakan State, are unaccounted for after communication was lost.
According to family members in rear battalions, officers and junta forces from the 27th Infantry Battalion, located in Maubin, Ayeyarwady Region, have been unaccounted for since September after they lost contact with their battalion during their deployment to the frontline in Arakan State.
Simultaneously, local military sources report that the Arakan Army (AA) has initiated an attack on the last existing Western Command after seizing all remaining battalions, units, and hill-based camps in Ann Town.
At approximately 1:00 pm on December 3, the Arakan Army (AA) initiated an assault on the Western Command, with artillery fired by the AA causing damage to the command's barracks.
