The police defecting as a new civil war looms in Myanmar

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