Defection, Surrender, and POW Update – September 2026

According to data compiled by People’s Goal, a total of 11,133 soldiers, police officers, and militia members have left Myanmar’s military council-aligned forces through defection, surrender, or capture as prisoners of war (POWs) between 2023 and September 2026.

The figures include:

• 9,474 soldiers

• 871 police officers

• 788 militia members

Of the total:

• 4,284 individuals defected from military council-aligned forces.

• 1,242 individuals surrendered to resistance organizations.

• 5,607 individuals were captured as prisoners of war (POWs).

Soldiers account for the largest share of personnel losses, with 3,635 defections, 1,132 surrenders, and 4,707 POWsrecorded during the reporting period. Among police officers, 369 defected, 10 surrendered, and 492 were documented as POWs. Among militia members, 280 defected, 100 surrendered, and 408 were documented as POWs.

Compared with the figures recorded through August 2026, the overall total increased by 218 cases in September, including 12 additional defections, 35 additional surrenders, and 169 additional POW cases. The continued increase reflects ongoing manpower losses among military council-aligned forces amid Myanmar’s prolonged conflict.

Disclaimer: The figures presented are compiled from publicly available information and secondary data sources, including open-source reporting, media coverage, and publicly documented announcements. Due to the limitations of conflict-related reporting and verification challenges, the actual numbers on the ground may differ from the figures presented above.