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What to Know About P.O.W.s in Myanmar’s Brutal Civil War

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As the rebels have gained ground, they have detained thousands of prisoners of war. Their enemy, the junta, keeps few captives.

A small group of men jog across a dusty field as others, sitting or standing, watch.

July 8, 2025, 12:01 a.m. ET

Tens of thousands of civilians in Myanmar have taken up arms against the military since it staged a coup more than four years ago. Many have joined existing armed groups; others have started new rebel armies.

Since 2023, resistance forces have scored a series of major victories and taken tens of thousands of prisoners. The captured include many high-ranking officers and soldiers’ relatives who were living on military bases overrun by rebel armies. Most of the family members have been released.

The rebels now hold about 15,000 prisoners of war, according to People’s Goal, a nonprofit that assists defectors from the army and is tracking junta soldiers captured by the rebels.

How do the rebels treat prisoners of war?

Housing, feeding and guarding large numbers of captured soldiers presents a challenge for the resistance, which is made up of numerous armed groups with limited resources.

Many rebel armies operate makeshift prison camps scattered throughout rebel territory. Some hold a few dozen prisoners, others hundreds. Often, prisoners must help grow food and cook for themselves.