Myanmar’s military junta is increasingly relying on army veterans and militias to provide security in Naypyitaw as it sends regular troops based in the capital to fight in other parts of the country.
Sources in Naypyitaw say that there has been a notable increase in the number of retired soldiers and militia members stationed there since early June.
“Soldiers who were here for years are now being redeployed to towns where fighting has broken out,” said a police officer based in the city.
“We’re seeing young personnel with no prior experience being paired up with veterans,” he added.
In the Thabyaykone section of Naypyitaw, which saw massive protests in the weeks after the February 2021 coup, there are at least three security checkpoints, but they are manned by only a handful of older ex-soldiers, according to people living in the area.
“These days, there are only elderly. . .
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