The Arakan Army (AA) has agreed to free six Chins abducted in Paletwa Township in June on suspicion of collaborating with the Burma Army (BA), but hasn’t set a release date. The ethnic armed group has clashed with the BA in southern Chin State several times, threatening an unofficial ceasefire with the army that was forged before it staged a coup and toppled the democratically elected government. According to a representative from the Interim Khumi Affairs Coordination Council (IKACC), which has been advocating for the freedom of the Chin prisoners, they’re trying to work out a release date. “AA has…
Author: Editor
The Interim Chin National Consultative Council (ICNCC) has deplored the military regime for its recent execution of four political prisoners including prominent leaders Ko Jimmy, a 1988 pro-democracy uprising veteran, and Phyo Zayar Thaw, former National League for Democracy lawmaker. The two activists had been sentence to death for allegedly conspiring to commit attacks against regime targets and were gaoled since their arrests last year. In a statement on Monday, ICNCC said that the killings demonstrate the regime’s obstinance in resolving political problems peacefully as well as a blatant disregard for the wishes of the people desiring to live under…
A Chin resistance group has prepared to attack a large convoy of regime vehicles approaching Mindat town in the township of the same name in Chin State. “If the military convoy continues from Mindat to Matupi, we’ll attack it because we control that area,” the Mindat Chinland Defense Force (CDF) spokesperson has told Khonumthung News. He said the convoy of 65 vehicles started from Pakokku on 17 June and went to Kyaukhtu, both in Magwe Region, before continuing to Mindat. The Burma Army indiscriminately shelled the areas ahead of the convoy as the soldiers made their way to Mindat town,…
Burma Army (BA) soldiers who are part of a vehicle convoy travelling from Kalay in Sagaing Region to Hakha, Chin State, have torched 15 homes in a village along the route from Falam to the Chin state capital. On 7 July, the 27 vehicle convoy left Falam town in Chin State after starting in the Sagaing capital on 29 June. The soldiers arrived in Chung Cung, which is located just over 10 miles from Hakha, on the evening of 14 July. An officer from Hakha Chinland Defense Force (CDF), which is fighting against the junta in the region, said the…
Fighting has flared up again between the Chin resistance and the Burma Army in Kalay Township, Sagaing Region. According to resistance fighters, they killed about 50 BA soldiers, who were part of a convoy of 200 soldiers travelling from Kalay to Falam, in clashes between 11 and 13 July. Three regime soldiers died on 11 July when the Kalay People’s Defence Force (PDF) ambushed them between Yan Gyi Aung and Hakha Lay. The next day, several groups killed at least five soldiers between Inn Sein Ywa Thit and Si Tha. On the same day, a child was wounded by regime…
Chin resistance groups have slain 63 junta soldiers in attacks on a Burma Army convoy (BA) on its way from Falam to Hakha in northern Chin State. According to Chin National Front (CNF) spokesperson Salai Htet Ni, the groups have been targeting the 200 BA soldiers travelling in 27 trucks since 8 July, during which time only resistance fighter died. However, up to 3 people were seriously injured by gunfire and 10 lightly injured. On Wednesday 13 July, Salai Ah Lawng, a member of the Matupi Chinland Defence Force, was killed near Ramhta Lo village on the Falam-Hakha road. The…
The regime has charged a member of a youth group in Tedim after he used a megaphone in June to announce a warning previously issued by the Zoland People’s Defence Force (PDF). Inkhat Moon of the Shalom Youth Committee was charged with Article 505 (b). The young man appeared in court on 12 July. While his trial is ongoing, he’s being held in a police detention centre, according to an anonymous local source familiar with him. The PDF, which opposes the regime, issued a statement in June warning of possible violence against teachers, parents and religious leaders who don’t participate…
The regime burnt down almost all the houses in Tarl, which is on the road from Falam to Hakha in northern Chin State. “They stayed near our village last night…there’s are only seven houses left standing,” said a resident who’d fled before the soldiers arrived. Together with others, he watched smoke rising from Tarl from their hiding place in the jungle. There were 41 houses in the village, which is about 14 miles from Falam town, before the soldiers burnt them down on 9 July and in October, when the army torched 11 houses. According to the residents of Lon…
The Arakan Army (AA) has abducted at least 15 Chin villagers from Paletwa Township in southern Chin State, according to a Khumi group. “I don’t know exactly why AA has arrested these people…What I can say is that they’re ordinary villagers” and not soldiers, an official from the Interim Khumi Affairs Coordination Council (IKAAC) told Khonumthung News. He said the ethnic armed group abducted the civilians from five villages on the west bank of the Kalandan River in June. An IKAAC statement criticised the group, calling for their immediate release so as not to damage relations between the different ethnic…
Paletwa residents have been without electricity for over a week after the Burma Army has prevented fuel and other things from being sent to the town located in southern Chin State. According to a local man, staff from the electricity distribution department for Paletwa Township said they couldn’t bring fuel from Kyauktaw in northern Rakhine State since 27 June. Paletwa town is off the grid with all of the power provided by diesel generators. Prior to the coup, residents used to get four hours of power a day, but since the military took over they only get half this amount.…