People Defence Force
How PDF was born
The People’s Defence Force of Myanmar is the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG). The armed wing was formed by the NUG from youths and pro-democracy activists on 5 May 2021 in response to the military junta coup d’état that occurred on 1st February 2021. Despite its support from the people of Myanmar, the military junta designated it as a terrorist organization on 8 May 2021. In October 2021, NUG’s Ministry of Defence announced that it had formed a central committee to coordinate military operations across the country.
According to the NUG statement, the PDF is divided into five regional commands
Minister of Defence U Yee Mon announced on 16 April 2021 that NUG would establish an armed wing that would cooperate with various ethnic armed organization to launch an armed revolution against the junta. On 5 May 2021, NUG announced the formation of the PDF as a “forerunner of the federal armed forces”. It also stated that the PDF formed in response to the violence happening throughout the country. On 28 May 2021, NUG released a video of the PDF’s graduation ceremony, announcing that the armed wing was ready to challenge the junta’s forces.
- Northern,
- Southern,
- Central,
- Eastern
- Western commands
- each mounting at least three brigades.
Each brigade consists of five battalions, which divide into four companies.
On 13 July 2021, NUG’s minister of defence U Yee Mon stated that the strength of the newly-formed militia was expected to reach 8,000 by the end of the month. Some estimates put the PDF’s numbers at 50,000 in February 2022.
