Myanmar Military Releases Jailed Soldiers and Police Amid Manpower Shortage

The move follows an amnesty plan aimed at bolstering ranks as the military faces significant battlefield pressures since seizing power in 2021.

Myanmar's military government has begun releasing soldiers and police who had been jailed for desertion or absence without leave, in a bid to bolster its ranks amid a manpower shortage.
The move follows an amnesty plan announced earlier this week, aimed at getting these individuals back into active service.
The military has been facing significant battlefield pressures since it seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, with challenges intensifying after an alliance of three ethnic minority armed groups launched an offensive in late October.
The offensive sparked renewed fighting nationwide, spreading the military’s forces thin and exposing a shortage of troops.
According to a report by the underground group People’s Goal, nearly 450 members of the military surrendered, defected or deserted after the offensive was launched.