Half of the purported rebels of the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) who recently surrendered to the Burmese regime are actually civilians.

According to Myanma Alin, a mouthpiece publication of the Burmese junta, 13 Shan soldiers led by Second Lt. Sai Moon, who is an administrative officer in Tang Yang Township under the SSA-N Brigade 1 Controls Area, surrendered to the Burmese Army with various weapons and ammunitions on 19 March.

Of the 13 Shan rebels who surrendered to the Burmese Army, there are six civilians included in the group, according to U Sein Kyi, the editor of S.H.A.N.

“There were eight soldiers from the SSA-N, including Sai Moon, and the other six are civilians. The total is 14. They surrendered to the Burmese Army in Pawlod, eastern Tang Yang Township,” U Sein Kyi said.

According to Maj. Lao Hsai, the spokesperson of Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), the SSA-N will suffer from psychological effects due to the surrender cases. In practice, the SSA needs to build a stronger army at this time as it is facing gunfire fights with the Burmese Army.

“Armed groups need to help each other. If there is no support among our groups, the combatant groups cannot do anything. The combatant forces also suffer from this case of Shan soldiers surrendering,” Maj. Sao Hsai said.

Second Lt. Sai Moon and his company had been patrolling in the area of Tang Yang Township. It is speculated that their family members urged them to surrender.

According to the Burmese regime’s newspaper, the SSA-N (Wam Hai) force exploded two bridges in Mong Shu and Thipaw Township during the morning of 19 March, but authorities have already repaired the bridges.

The SPDC ordered SSA-N members to return to their headquarters no later than 20 March. Small clashes between the Burmese Army and SSA-N forces occur nearly every day in seven townships in northern Shan State.

Moreover, the SPDC has set April 1 as the deadline for the SSA-N to surrender. News has leaked out that the SSA-N has also ordered local people to move from its controlled area.

According to local news sources, gunfire battles have occurred in the area since 13 March. Five monks and twenty civilians, including several children, were killed in the battle, and over 1,000 people have fled from their villages.