A coalition of resistance Chin groups captured 40 prisoners of war (POWs) from Tonzang in northern Chin State when they seized the town from the military regime during the first joint operation under the recently formed Chinland Government.
Salai Htet Ni, spokesperson of Chin National Front/Chin National Army (CNF/CNA), said they also acquired millions of kyat and 100 assault rifles from the Burma army and Zomi Revolutionary Army (Eastern Command). “There are no more Burma army soldiers present in Tonzang.”
At least fourteen resistance groups started attacking the regime’s camps in Tonzang Township on May 15, and captured Cikha and all of their camps in Tonzang town by May 21. “They hid in the town and placed many landmines around them, so we need to clear the area by searching and removing these mines.”
During the operation, the Burma army sent 100 reinforcements from Tedim, but they were forced to retreat, Salai Htet Ni explained. At the same time, the military regime flew many airstrikes against them, but it didn’t thwart their mission to completely capture the town and township that shares a border with Sagaing Region and India’s Mizoram State by 4:30 pm on May 23.
The resistance groups used drones to bomb the regime in Tonzang and Cikha, and when they advanced into both towns, they discovered the Burma army had already deserted their positions.
Fifteen of the POWs were injured during fighting, and Chin resistance medics provided them with medical care. Salai Htet Ni said one prisoner is believed to be a high-ranking ZRA officer although his identity still needs to be confirmed.
The groups recovered the money from enemy soldiers who were hiding in a cyclone shelter in Tonzang. “I think they took this money from the banks when they were planning to retreat,” he said, explaining that they have already counted 300 million kyat, but think it could be as high as 500 million.
They also freed three political prisoners who were being held in the town jail and taken to the cyclone shelter when the Burma army soldiers retreated.
One of them is a teacher jailed for joining the Civil Disobedience Movement against the dictatorship and another is a CNA/CNF member. The school teacher was sentenced to life and her father for seven years. Another man was charged with incitement under Article 505 (a) of Burma’s Penal Code.
Fighting in Tonzang town and 15 villages in the township displaced thousands of civilians. Some of them are now hiding in the jungle where some have fallen ill but lack medicine. They also don’t have enough food, clothing, and materials to make shelters.
“Up to 90 percent of the population of Tonzang town have sought refuge in safer areas. The elderly and sick persons remain in the town as they couldn’t be moved when the people fled,” explained the spokesperson for the township’s People’s Administration.
Over 7,000 fled Tonzang town and 2,000 people from the villages, he said. Some have sought safety in Kale town or other villages in Sagaing Region. The township had a population of over 28,000 people before the operation started.
Jet fighters conducted at least 40 airstrikes before and after the Chin resistance attacked and captured the regime’s bases in Tonzang and Cikha towns. At least 30 houses in Hkaw Wong Lay Hsan Ward in Tonzang were bombed, with airstrikes destroying a church and 10 homes in Lungtak and Fai Tu.