The military set fire to over 130 houses in Thangtlang after fighting with the Chinland Defence Force (CDF).
Multiple regime attacks on the town in northern Chin State have already destroyed nearly 1,000 houses, forcing all of its 10,000 residents to flee to the Indian border or to remote villages.
According to a spokesperson for CDF in Thangtlang, the group exchanged fire with the Burma Army (BA) on 3-4 January, with the regime sending a helicopter into the town on both days.
BA soldiers burned down houses in Zung Mung and Kyawng wards on Monday and more homes on Tuesday.
“Our troops are staying in some of the wards in Thangtlang. They are trying to clear the area, so they are burning civilians’ houses,” he said, explaining that the regime has been conducting a clearance campaign in the township of the same name since August last year.
”I suppose they want to send a message to all CDF (chapters) and PDFs (People’s Defence Forces) across the country: If they attack the Burma Army camps, they will destroy everything.”
In the last four months, the soldiers have destroyed more than 800 houses, including 7 churches, in at least 18 attacks on the town since the first one on 8 September. That is almost half of the 2,000 homes.
The Church on the Rock, the Presbyterian Church, the Thangtlang Centenary Baptist Church, the United Pentecostal Church, St Nicholas Catholic Church, the Methodist Church and the Assembly of God Church were destroyed by the regime.