PDF Gangaw has defected from the NUG and joined the Yaw Army

The People’s Defense Force – PDF Gangaw Battalion (Yaw Region) has announced that it has defected from the Ministry of Defense (MOD) under the National Unity Government (NUG) and joined the Yaw Army (YA).

A member of Gangaw PDF stated that the decision to leave the NUG MOD was made to ensure unity under a single command and voice in the Yaw region.

“Our goal is to bring attention to the suppressed history of the Yaw region, to exist as a force representing Yaw in battle, and to fight for the swift liberation of the region. We want the people of Yaw to have the right to determine their own destiny. For these reasons, we have chosen to transfer to the Yaw Army (YA) and have officially submitted our resignation from the MOD,” according to the source.

The PDF Gangaw No. 12 Battalion, which had been serving under the NUG for over two years, has seen 90% of its members, including the battalion commander, defect.

On January 19, the battalion attempted to return its command to the Ministry of Defense (MOD), but after it was not accepted, members officially submitted their resignation, according to sources.

A former member, Ko A-the-lay, stated that a few members remained in the battalion. “Not everyone left the unit. Among the officers, the administrative officer and a battalion commander remained in Battalion 12, along with a few comrades,” he said.

He added that weapons provided by the NUG Ministry of Defense had been returned to the district command office.

Explaining the reason for their move, he stated that they wanted to be more engaged in the affairs of the Yaw region. They decided to join the Yaw Army (YA), a local resistance force actively engaged in battles alongside the Arakan Army (AA), to better serve the interests of their region.

“Our goal is to be a more unified and well-structured force, to bring attention to the suppressed history of the Yaw region, to represent the region in battle, and to fight for its swift liberation. We want the people of Yaw to have the right to determine their own future. That is why we chose to transfer to the Yaw Army (YA) and submitted our resignation to the MOD,” he said.

The Gangaw District No. 12 PDF was initially formed in July 2021, following the military coup, as the People’s Defense Force – Gangaw Battalion (Yaw Region), based in Gangaw Township.

In April 2022, it was integrated into the NUG’s Western Regional Military Command as Battalion 701 under Division 7.

Later that year, due to the MOD’s restructuring, it was reassigned to Military Region 1 as Gangaw District Battalion 12.

Since the start of the armed resistance, the battalion has lost three members in battle, while nine others have sustained injuries leading to amputations.

Their defection was officially announced on social media yesterday, though the exact number of defectors was not specified.

Myanmar Now attempted to contact NUG Deputy Defense Minister U Maung Maung Swe regarding the MOD’s policy on returning battalions, the mass defection of Gangaw District Battalion 12, and other related issues, but has not received a response.