Themilitary junta personnel continue joining the Karen National Union/KarenNational Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) with weapons.

TheKNU revealed today that two soldiers from the LIB-556 battalion under the 44thmilitary council division based in Walley of Karen State, joined the KNLA witharms and ammunition.

Thesoldiers who came to join are Ko Ko Naing and Aik Chan. They surrendered to the6th brigade of the KNLA with their weapons.

Thedeposited arms and ammunition include one MA-1, four magazines, 239 types of 5.56 bulletsand one military equipment. They were offered Baht 50,000 each by the KNU.

Theywere offended by their authority for the arbitrary and oppressive style ofmanagement of the seniors.

Anothersoldier from the LIB 9th battalion under the 44th army division of the juntajoined the KNLA and the revolutionary joint force under the KNU, the politicalwing of KNLA, in Koka Rate township of Karen State, with a sniper rifle. Thesurrendered soldier is identified as Saw Thet Naing Tun (33).

Hesurrendered on 19 September and he was offered Baht 100,000 by the KNLAcommander of Cobra column colonel Dabo.

Manyother soldiers have also surrendered and joined the revolutionary forces. TheKNU welcomes the soldiers on behalf of the people. They are advised tocooperate with the ethnic revolutionary forces until the military dictatorshipis finished in Myanmar.