Reports of Surrenders and Friction Among Resistance Forces in Sagaing Region

What happened

The local English outlet DVB reports that over the past two weeks at least 30 members of the People’s Defence Force (PDF) and another 30 from unnamed resistance groups have surrendered to the Myanmar military in Sagaing Region’s Shwebo, Monywa, and Chaung-U townships. A source close to the PDF linked to the National Unity Government (NUG) said these former resistance members handed over weapons and faced 'friction' with NUG-aligned Shwebo District battalions, though no further details were provided. Neither the military nor the NUG Ministry of Defence have confirmed these surrenders.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Chaung-U and Shwebo have been partly controlled and administered by the NUG since resistance forces took them in 2022. The region remains tense as airstrikes by the Myanmar Air Force continue, with at least two internally displaced persons killed in Chaung-U on October 2. DVB notes warnings from the PDF of potential additional airstrikes tied to reported intelligence leaks linked to a battalion commander, Wai Zin Aung, allegedly surrendered to the military and accused of stealing funds and a weapon, claims not confirmed by either side.

The military’s Ministry of Information claimed that 23 PDF members surrendered on September 25 at a ceremony in Bago Region, while a previous mass defection of over 500 PDF members in March was dismissed as propaganda. The NUG says it has killed more than 20,000 military soldiers and counting nearly 20,000 defections from the military between July 2024 and August 2026, figures that cannot be independently verified here.

Known from the source

• At least 30 PDF members and 30 other unnamed resistance members reportedly surrendered to the military in Sagaing Region over the past two weeks according to a source close to the PDF.
• These surrenders are said to have occurred in Shwebo, Monywa, and Chaung-U townships.
• The PDF source cited internal friction between the surrendering members and NUG Shwebo District battalions.
• The Myanmar Air Force carried out airstrikes in Chaung-U on October 2 that killed at least two internally displaced persons.
• Wai Zin Aung, commander of NUG Monywa District PDF Battalion 15, reportedly surrendered and is accused of intelligence leaks and theft by independent media, unconfirmed by the military or NUG.

What remains unclear

These reports underscore ongoing contestation between military forces and multiple resistance groups in Sagaing, a region repeatedly targeted by military campaigns and marked by displacement and civilian harm. The internal discord among resistance ranks raises questions about cohesion and future operational capability amid persistent airstrikes and counterinsurgency pressure.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verification of the surrender of the 60 resistance members from PDF and other forces in Sagaing. Confirmation from the military and NUG on the reported friction among resistance ranks. Verification of Wai Zin Aung’s surrender, alleged intelligence leaks, and theft.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: DVB English. Open the source.