NAY PYI TAW: Myanmar’s junta has enforced a mandatory military service law as the government continues to battle armed ethnic militias and resistance forces on multiple fronts across the country.
Under the law it is compulsory for all men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 to serve for up to two years under military command. While doctors aged up to 45 must serve for three years, state media said on Sunday.
The media said the junta has issued the notification of the effectiveness of People’s Military Service Law starting from February 10, 2024.
The law was formulated in 2010 by a previous military government but had never been implemented before.
The introduction of the People’s Military Service Law says all citizens have a duty to protect non-disintegration of the union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty.
According to the state media the law has been enacted in order to serve this duty adding the Defense Ministry would release further details and instructions later.
Myanmar’s military government recently prolonged its state of emergency for another six months as it marked three years on February 1 since its deadly coup which ousted democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The fighting increased last October, when powerful armed ethnic militias joined with resistance forces to mount major new offensives against the military.
