Myanmar defectors describe military culture of abuse, fear

A soldier carries a sniper rifle during a demonstration against the military coup where security forces fired on protesters in Mandalay on February 20, 2021 [File: AFP]

Captain Pyae Sone waited deep into the night before making preparations to flee. His superiors had ordered him to gather 25 infantry soldiers under his command to attack anti-coup protesters the next morning.

But from his military base near the city of Dawei in southeastern Myanmar, the prospect of killing innocent civilians deeply troubled him.