Myanmar's military has initiated basic training at various military bases and schools nationwide as part of the country's recently activated conscription law, according to state-run media reports on Tuesday. This law, activated in February, aims to bolster the military's ranks, which have been depleted due to ongoing conflicts with ethnic minority armed groups and pro-democracy resistance forces opposed to military rule since February 2021.

In the past five months, the military has faced territorial losses in northern Shan state and Rakhine state, with increasing attacks elsewhere. There are indications of potential loss of the important trading town of Myawaddy in Kayin state near Thailand. Opening ceremonies for training took place in regional commands, military schools, and the capital, Naypyitaw, with the first batch comprising volunteers responding to letters of summoning from the military government.

The activation of conscription has sparked fear, anxiety, and defiance among young people and their families, leading some to leave the country or join resistance groups in border areas. Brief protests against conscription were reported in Yangon on Monday as flash mobs to avoid authorities' crackdowns.

Under the law, men aged 18 to 35 and women 18 to 27 can be drafted for two years, with potential punishment of imprisonment and fines for evasion. The military aims to draft 5,000 people at a time and up to 60,000 annually, targeting about 14 million eligible citizens out of Myanmar's total population of 56 million.

Reports also suggest the military is seeking to enlist Rohingya Muslims, previously persecuted and marginalized, possibly as part of a strategy to counter attrition and sow division among ethnic groups, particularly in Rakhine state. This move comes as the military faces challenges nationwide and seeks to regain control amid growing resistance.

Aung Kyaw Moe, a Rohingya deputy minister in the shadow National Unity Government, believes this strategy aims to create conflict between Rohingya and Rakhine communities to shift the military's advantage in Rakhine state.

Myanmar's military has initiated basic training at various military bases and schools nationwide as part of the country's recently activated conscription law, according to state-run media reports on Tuesday. This law, activated in February, aims to bolster the military's ranks, which have been depleted due to ongoing conflicts with ethnic minority armed groups and pro-democracy resistance forces opposed to military rule since February 2021.

In the past five months, the military has faced territorial losses in northern Shan state and Rakhine state, with increasing attacks elsewhere. There are indications of potential loss of the important trading town of Myawaddy in Kayin state near Thailand. Opening ceremonies for training took place in regional commands, military schools, and the capital, Naypyitaw, with the first batch comprising volunteers responding to letters of summoning from the military government.

The activation of conscription has sparked fear, anxiety, and defiance among young people and their families, leading some to leave the country or join resistance groups in border areas. Brief protests against conscription were reported in Yangon on Monday as flash mobs to avoid authorities' crackdowns.

Under the law, men aged 18 to 35 and women 18 to 27 can be drafted for two years, with potential punishment of imprisonment and fines for evasion. The military aims to draft 5,000 people at a time and up to 60,000 annually, targeting about 14 million eligible citizens out of Myanmar's total population of 56 million.

Reports also suggest the military is seeking to enlist Rohingya Muslims, previously persecuted and marginalized, possibly as part of a strategy to counter attrition and sow division among ethnic groups, particularly in Rakhine state. This move comes as the military faces challenges nationwide and seeks to regain control amid growing resistance.

Aung Kyaw Moe, a Rohingya deputy minister in the shadow National Unity Government, believes this strategy aims to create conflict between Rohingya and Rakhine communities to shift the military's advantage in Rakhine state.