An entire base of the military council's 430th infantrybattalion at the SAC army’s strategic hill in Mase on the border betweenThailand and Karenni State (of Myanmar) surrendered to the ethnic armed forceson 24 June.

It is learnt from the revolutionary groups that thebattalion commander Lt Col Zar Nay Aung and his deputy Lt Col Kyaw Thu Soe alsojoined in the move.

"I can only confirm that it happened. But not the wholegroup surrendered at a time. They surrendered one group by another.  The soldiers took time to implement theirdecision,” a military council’s revolutionary news source.

He also added that the battalion commander and his deputyled the team to take refuge in the people's arms.

“The group was quite large. We were happy to get the informationabout their surrender and later its realization,” said a member ofrevolutionary forces.

It is not known if any organization made it public, but NgweMaung Tham media reported that about 60 soldiers including their commandersurrendered to the ethnic armed forces.

Since 13 June, the KA/KNDF revolutionary joint forceslaunched attacks and even captured many junta camps in Mase region alongThailand-Myanmar border, revealed the Karenni military central information group.

The Karenni forces are expecting to be able to control theentire area and soon they would issue a detailed statement.