A spokesperson for the military government did not respond to repeated requests for comment on its social media tactics. The central unit coordinates the work of dozens of smaller social media teams deployed across the country at regional military commands and battalions, according to the defectors. They said "monitoring teams" were often staffed in part by female soldiers, who are not allowed combat roles. Nyi Thuta said he and other soldiers who did leave the army had been the targets of online attacks. "I'm using the information warfare tactics I learned in the army against them," he said.

Source: New York Times November 02, 2021 03:57 UTC