More Than 10,000 Military Personnel, Police, and Militia Members Have Left Military Council Forces Since 2023

According to data compiled by People's Goal, a total of 10,784 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 June 2026.

The figures include:

• 9,142 soldiers

• 868 police officers

• 774 militia members

Of the total:

• 4,207 individuals defected from military council-aligned forces.

• 1,207 individuals surrendered to resistance organizations.

• 5,370 individuals were captured as prisoners of war (POWs).

Soldiers account for the largest share of personnel losses, with 3,567 defections, 1,097 surrenders, and 4,478 POWsrecorded during the reporting period. Police officers and militia members also represent a significant portion of the overall manpower decline, with 369 police officers and 271 militia members defecting, while 499 police officers and 403 militia members were documented as POWs.

The continued rise in the number of defectors, surrenders, and prisoners of war highlights the ongoing depletion of military council-affiliated forces amid Myanmar's protracted conflict. These figures also reflect the growing challenges faced by the military council in sustaining manpower and maintaining morale among its ranks.

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.