Inside Myanmar, rebels are losing ground as military forces men into army

Four young men, conscripted into the Myanmar military against their will, escaped from Karen state and joined the People's Defence Force (PDF), reporting that forced conscription has significantly bolstered the junta's manpower and shifted the civil war's momentum in their favor. The military, which seized power in 2021, is now making gains and re-establishing control in several border areas, pushing resistance forces onto the defensive despite still controlling less than half the country.