Myanmar's National Unity Government, set up by opponents of army rule, said on Wednesday it had formed a "people's defence force" to protect its supporters from military attacks and violence instigated by the junta.
In a statement, it said the move was a precursor to establishing a Federal Union Army and that it had the responsibility to "make effective reforms in the security sector in order to terminate the 70 year long civil war."
(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Martin Petty)
