Irrawaddy-June 13
The Myanmar junta reshuffled at least 30 high-ranking military officers last month, according to a former military officer participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and two sources close to the officers. Those reshuffled ranged in rank from lieutenant colonel to major general. Late last month, the junta’s military headquarters relieved five major generals—including Major General Saw Than Hlaing, the head of Naypyitaw Command—of their duties and shunted them to the reserve forces. On May 31, it also promoted 25 Grade 1 (G1) lieutenant colonels to strategic commander posts. The sources said Min Aung Hlaing fired the five major generals as they had been serving for six years without performing sufficiently well to warrant promotion. From informants still serving in the military, Capt. Zin Yaw acquired a list of the 25 G1 lieutenant colonels promoted to strategic commander positions. Twelve of the 25 formerly served in departments at the junta’s military headquarters in Naypyitaw. The 25 officers being replaced were mostly transferred to departments under regime ministries, but a few were fired or died in clashes with resistance forces. The recent reshuffles of the directorate and Naypyitaw Command heads, and the decision to keep such a young officer close by him in Naypyitaw are sure signs that all is not well in Naypyitaw, Capt. Zin Yaw said. “What we can say for sure is that he [Min Aung Hlaing] is having a hard time finding people he can trust to serve near him,” he said. Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-boss-orders-another-purge-of-military-top-brass.html
