The police defecting as a new civil war looms in Myanmar

       The police defecting as a new civil war looms in Myanmar Close

       As Myanmar heads towards a new civil war, the police are coming under intense pressure to decide which side they are on.

       Since the military coup on 1 February, police have been used to brutally suppress mass protests.

       Some protesters have taken up arms to fight back, forming civilian militias called the People’s Defence Force.

       The BBC has been given rare access to the first group of police officers who defected and joined the people’s side.

       Some of those officers now say they’re prepared to use their weapons against their former colleagues.

       Video journalists: Naw Dway Eh Khu and Maw Oo Myar

       Produced by: Rebecca Henschke and Kelvin Brown

       Edited by: Kelvin Brown

       Open source: Myanmar Witness

       Published 16 hours ago

       Section BBC News

       Subsection Asia