CDF members undergo military training. / CDF Kanpetlet
Clashes were reported in Kanpetlet Township, Chin State, on Thursday, with at least nine Myanmar junta soldiers killed, according to resistance forces.
Clashes took place at Let Mon village between resistance forces and nearly 200 regime soldiers. During two clashes, nine soldiers were killed and many others injured, according to the Chin Defence Force Kanpetlet (CDF). No resistance injuries were reported.
The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports.
Fighting continued on Friday morning near the village for an hour and a CDF fighter was lightly wounded.
“Mindat-based Light Infantry Battalion 274 fired heavy weapons this morning. We had to withdraw because we were outnumbered,” a CDF commander told The Irrawaddy on Friday.
A Let Mon villager hiding in a forest was wounded by artillery and some villagers were detained as hostages on Thursday.
“They seized some civilians who were hiding in a forest. Soldiers tortured some of the villagers who could not escape,” he said.
The CDF could not verify the number of hostages taken. Thousands of civilians from 20 villages in CDF territory have fled, amid fears of more clashes.
Clashes have been reported in Chin State since May 2021. The resistance regularly attacks military convoys, inflicting heavy casualties. A lot of clashes have been taking place in Mindat Township and there has been no fighting in Kanpetlet since April last year. Junta troops started trying to occupy CDF territory in the township this month.
On Friday, junta troops advanced from Let Mon village and fighting may intensify, the CDF said.
The regime has been deploying more troops to Chin State from neighboring Magwe Region by air and land since late May. A CDF commander said he thought the troops in Kanpetlet were deployed from Kyaukhtu in Magwe.
