KIA intensifies recruiting soldiers, targeting all ethnicities
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Phyo/ Thant Zin (NP News) - March 2
Locals say that the KIA, which is suffering from heavy casualties in clashes with the Tatmadaw, is forcibly recruiting new soldiers regardless of ethnicity or religion.
The KIA group has increased its recruitment of new soldiers, targeting mostly individuals aged 18 to over 30, regardless of ethnicity or religion. It is reported that many are being captured, and some are being re-recruited in ransom with money.
A military source told to the Statesman Journal that a large number of inexperienced new soldiers are being sent to the battlefield in the city of Bhamo, where the Tatmadaw and the KIA are battling fiercely.
“Even around the Hpakant-Myitkyina road, they are being dragged out of cars. Most of them are between the ages of 18 and 30. In Hpakant and Saing Taung, they are released if they are ransomed with money. Some of them cost hundreds of thousands of baht. There are many organizations in the KIO. They have intelligence units and others,” said the above-mentioned local.
He said that KIA recruits are likely to be sent to the front lines where they are currently facing the Tatmadaw.
Another local said that the KIA is recruiting new soldiers in many areas of Kachin State under their control, but it is not yet known how many will be recruited or where they will be sent.
“It seems that the KIA needs a lot of soldiers. They also had a lot of casualties in Bhamo. The recruitment is not for the Kachin PDF. The recruitment is for the KIA. In some places, young people don’t dare to go,” he added.