Thuta, Feb 5
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) announced that it would not recruit for the reserve force in 2026; however, local residents told Shwe Phee Myay that recruitment is currently underway.
“The TNLA is demanding a list of names for the reserve force in our village. They haven’t specified how many people we must provide yet. We are now holding a village meeting to discuss how to meet the TNLA’s request,” a resident of Manton Township in the Ta’ang region said.
During field visits to TNLA-controlled areas, Shwe Phee Myay also observed that new soldiers were being recruited for the reserve force.
A resident from Namhkam Township said they want the PSLF/TNLA to clearly explain its policies on recruiting for the reserve force.
As the region has stabilized, PSLF/TNLA spokesperson Lway Yay Oo told Shwe Phee Myay on January 13, 2026, that security would be managed solely by their army and police forces, with no plans to recruit for the reserve force this year.
She further clarified that the reserve force is not recruited as full-time soldiers but mobilized according to the specific security needs of each local area.
Since late 2024, the TNLA has been recruiting Ta’ang men aged 18 to 45 for the reserve force under the pretext of local security.
Under the TNLA’s military service law, every Ta’ang person between 18 and 35 must serve in the armed group if their family has two or more sons.
For the reserve force, all Ta’ang men aged 18 to 45 are required to perform rotational military service to provide security in TNLA-controlled areas.
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Translated by #KLT
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