A village in Mindat Township, Chin State, after regime shelling in May. / CJ
Fighting between the Chin Defense Force (CDF) in Mindat and Myanmar’s junta has escalated since last week, with the regime using airstrikes on Chin State on Wednesday, according to resistance fighters.
The CDF ambushed junta forces in Mindat town, where nearly 400 regime troops are stationed, and there have been daily clashes, according to Salai Naing Tam of the armed group.
“Their aircraft bombed 7km from Mindat on Wednesday,” the commander told The Irrawaddy, who added that the casualty figures were unknown.
He said the CDF was carrying out guerrilla attacks on the Mindat-based Light Infantry Battalion 274, which was shelling civilian areas and nearby villages.
On Tuesday, a 50-year-old town resident was seriously injured by regime shelling.
“He was inside his house during shelling,” said Salai Yaw Man of the Mindat people’s administration.
He said the CDF has attacked police stations and junta offices in Mindat and troops are confined to their bases.
“There are no more patrol cars in the town,” Salai Yaw Man told The Irrawaddy.
On Monday, the CDF and Yaw People’s Defense Force attacked a junta convoy near Shwe Aung Thar village on the border of Chin State and Magwe Region. The nine-vehicle convoy, carrying food and around 200 regime troops, was heading to Tilin Township in Magwe Region, the CDF said.
At least 10 regime soldiers were killed and a CDF fighter was injured during an hour of fighting.
Two junta fighter jets attacked seven times on Monday but no resistance casualties were reported.
The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports.
Fighting was reported on the road to Mindat in early June. The Chin National Front barred entry to non-Chin travelers this month after the regime started using public buses to move troops into Chin.
Clashes have been reported in Chin State since May 2021 and martial law has been imposed in seven out of the nine Chin townships.
