Two Chin resistance fighters died and others were wounded in fighting with the regime in the Timit Valley between Hakha and Thangtlang townships on Monday.
The junta flew two airstrikes on Chin groups fighting against the dictatorship in the morning and shelled areas where they were staying with artillery from the Independence Stone Pillar in Hakha town.
“They fired artillery shells on the Timit Valley area since early morning and a jet fighter also attacked Thida. After that, Burma army’s ground troops attacked a Chin resistance outpost with heavy and light weapons,” said a person close to the groups, on condition of anonymity.
He said Chinland Defence Force (CDF) soldiers from Thangtlang and Zophei were killed and up to seven others injured.
Many regime fighters were also killed at close range in the fighting, the man claimed, but couldn’t give figures.
The conflict has escalated since 25 May, when the regime launched an offensive to drive the Chin groups out of the valley.
Heavy clashes took place on Monday and between 29 and 30 May.
On 2 July, gunfire was reported at 8:30 pm in Hakha, with bullets hitting the walls of the hospital’s surgical building and around the Burma Oil Corporation building.
The regime frequently fires light and heavy weapons at the Chin State capital, although there has been no recent fighting.
In the south, Mindat CDF killed at least 10 soldiers and wounded many others in an hour-long battle on the morning of 26 June around Nor Pagoda Hill near Shwe Aung Tha.
One resistance fighter suffered minor injuries. After, two regime jet fighters attacked seven times, but no one was hurt.
Fighting also occurred in Mindat town on the same day, but there was no information on regime casualties at the time of going to press.