Oliver Conway

They have artillery, they have the ability to call in airstrikes, they have mortars, but they are surrounded on all three sides by the rebels.

We're on a rare thing here, an asphalt road, and that means we're a big target.

These men are listening out for drones.

Commanders here tell us that Myanmar's military has the edge in terms of quantity and technology.

Strikes come almost daily, they say.

Commander Koh Kang of the People's Defence Force takes me on patrol to a captured hunter base.

The danger from drones is definitely increasing.

So there was a drone overhead and we just had to take cover.

But we can't hear it now.

And the PDF forces think they might have brought it down.

But they can't confirm that.

In any case, we have to wait at this position.

Just like the conflict in Ukraine, like the conflict in Lebanon...

Drones are everywhere now and very quickly drone warfare adapts and escalates.

And that's exactly what's happening here in Myanmar.

This resistance base is hidden deep in the forest.

Time and time again we hear from resistance fighters that one of the reasons that Myanmar's military, the junta, has regained the initiative on the battlefield is because of thousands of new recruits, forced conscripts, some of whom never wanted to fight.

Well, here at this HQ there are four deserters from the junta forces and they've agreed to speak to us.

How did you escape from the army?

From the military outpost, we planned to escape from the bathing place.