Defection, Surrender, and POW Update – August 2026

According to data compiled by People’s Goal, a total of 10,915 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 August 2026.

The figures include:

• 9,263 soldiers

• 871 police officers

• 783 militia members

Of the total:

• 4,272 individuals defected from military council-aligned forces.

• 1,207 individuals surrendered to resistance organizations.

• 5,438 individuals were captured as prisoners of war (POWs).

Soldiers account for the largest share of personnel losses, with 3,624 defections, 1,097 surrenders, and 4,542 POWsrecorded during the reporting period. Among police officers, 369 defected, 10 surrendered, and 492 were documented as POWs. Among militia members, 279 defected, 100 surrendered, and 404 were documented as POWs.

Compared with the figures recorded through July 2026, the overall total increased by 51 cases in August, including 20 additional defections and 33 additional POW cases, while the number of recorded surrenders remained unchanged. 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.