The first batch of conscripts who completed their military training at No. 4 Military Advanced Training Depot (MATD-4) in Weakali Village, Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State, were deployed to war zones, including Kachin State.
Over 200 conscripts from the first batch of military training are being deployed to conflict-ridden states and regions, including Kachin on July 6, according to one of the newly trained youths.
"I was deployed to Kachin State after three months of military training in Thanbyuzayat. Some of my fellow trainees were sent to Mawlamyine, and others to Bago. About 15 conscripts were loaded onto each vehicle and transported without knowing our destinations in advance. I am now in Kachin State after an overnight trip”, he said.
He added that conscripts had been informed they would be allowed to return home only after serving two years in their assigned battalions and units.
At present, these newly trained conscripts primarily serve as night guards in warzone villages and are permitted to shoot if they observe suspicious activities, he told IMNA.
The mother of the young man deployed on the battlefield lamented that, while the family can still contact him, internet access is not always reliable, causing her to worry that contact could be lost at any time.
"Previously, he had been in military training for three months at Thanbyuzayat. Now he has been deployed in Kachin, but even he doesn't know his exact location. He told us he's currently on nightwatch duty on a hill with a pagoda. We're very worried about his situation because he can't provide any definite details”, she said.
Initially, when the junta called for young people to undergo military training, it assured that local conscripts would only be stationed in Mon State townships, receiving decent wages and other incentives.
The first group of conscripts began their training in April and completed their courses on June 28, spanning a period of three months.
The junta has not disclosed exact figures, but according to the Burma Affairs and Conflict Study (BACS), nearly 5000 youth were conscripted nationwide in the first batch.
In Mon State, military training for the second batch of conscripts began on May 14, with approximately 200 young recruits drafted from local towns and villages
