The Myanmar junta has issued death sentences to three brigadier generals for surrendering, along with hundreds of troops, and ceding control of a strategically important town on the Chinese border to rebel groups in January.

A military source disclosed that among those sentenced to death are three senior military officials, including the commander of Laukkai town. These actions were reported by the news agency AFP.

The timing of the issuance of this verdict remains undisclosed at present. Previously, a military spokesperson informed the news agency that the brigadier generals were under military custody.

In addition, three additional brigadier generals have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in the surrender.

In January, after months of conflict, hundreds of troops surrendered in Laukkai, located in the northern Shan state, to the Three Brotherhood Alliance. This surrender marked a significant setback for the military, garnering uncommon censure of the junta from its proponents.

The Myanmar military law dictates that leaving a post without permission warrants a death penalty, as seen after the surrender when officers and their troops were permitted to vacate the area.

The alliance, consisting of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Arakan Army, and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, captured Laukkai, the largest town in the region. In a surprise offensive launched in late October last year, the alliance secured control over multiple towns and strategic trade hubs along the northern Myanmar border with China.

According to an AFP report, Laukkai has a troubled history. In 2009, Min Aung Hlaing, who is now the current junta chief, gained attention when, as a regional commander, he expelled the MNDAA from the town.

Following the expulsion, the military installed a militia that engaged in illicit activities such as drug production, gambling, and sex trade, catering to visitors from the Chinese border region.

Subsequently, Laukkai gained notoriety for being associated with online scams, where thousands of Chinese and foreign nationals defrauded their own compatriots via the internet.

Now, with the military surrendering, a source close to the MNDAA informed AFP that the group is actively working towards establishing a new administration in the town.

Image source: WION News