On the morning of 24 April, the Civil Defense Militia – Siyin (CDM – Siyin) ambushed a Burma army (BA) military convoy with landmine attacks near Hiang Zing village in Tedim Township.
The CDM – Siyin reported that four BA soldiers were killed on the spot, and four other soldiers and a civilian were wounded by the attacks.
The BA military convoy had travelled from Kalay town in Sagaing Region to Tedim town in Chin state. The military convoy was carrying food rations for BA troops stationed in Tedim town and surrounding areas.
The CDM – Siyin Chief of Staff said that his troops had created multiple landmine fields along the road. His troop detonated landmines when the BA military convoy arrived at the landmine fields.
“Our troops detonated our no-2 landmine field when the convoy arrived at the location. It’s a multiple landmine field. When we detonate, all landmines blast at the same time. We confirmed that four BA soldiers were killed on the spot during our landmine attack,” the officer told Khonumthung news.
The BA military convoy left Kalay town on 19 April. The convoy was carrying food rations for BA troops based in Tedim town, Theing Ngin village and Kennedy camp. The military convoy consisted of four military trucks and approximately 80 soldiers.
The CDM – Siyin Chief of Staff said that their troops ambushed the convoy multiple times as it travelled along the vehicle road.
In an ambushed between Kennedy hill and Lay Thang hill at least nine BA soldiers were killed, according to the CDM – Siyin Chief of Staff. The military convoy couldn’t move forward after the fighting, and stayed the night on the road.
Soldiers from the convoy detained 20 local men and women from Theing Ngin and Hiang Zing villages and used them as human shields and as forced labour. The 20 detained people were forced to carry the bodies of the dead BA soldiers.
On 23 April, CDM – Siyin troops attacked the military column as it returned from Kennedy hill to Kalay town. The convoy was hit with multiple landmines as it travelled between Hiang Zing village and Kalay town. Six BA soldiers were killed and many soldiers were wounded by the landmine attacks. A military truck was damaged by the landmine explosion.
On 24 April, four military trucks carrying BA soldiers arrived on the Kalay university campus. The soldiers then marched up Chin hill by foot, arriving at Mawlpi village in Tedim Township around 3 p.m. After arriving in Mawlpi village, the BA soldiers opened fire in different directions with both light and heavy weapons.
The spokesperson of the CDM – Siyin said that BA soldiers from Kalay town opened fire with 120 mm mortar shells onto Chin hill. Some shells landed into Mawlpi village and damaged some houses in the village. The BA soldiers detained seven villagers and forced them to act as road guides.
The CDM – Siyin warned local people to not travel on the Kalay – Tedim vehicle road because the BA military convoy was traveling on the road.
“We will continue to fight against military dictatorship until the end. If we request local people to no travel this road, people should follow our request. We have created multiple landmine fields along the road. It is dangerous for travelers. When the BA soldiers are travelling on the road, it is better for local people to not travel on the road,” the spokesperson of CDM – Siyin told Khonumthung news.
The CDM – Siyin said that none of their soldiers had been killed during the recent clashes on the Kalay – Tedim road.