The Chinland Defense Force – Mindat (Mindat CDF) reported that they ambushed a military truck in Mindat town, killing at least seven Burma army personnel.
Salai Har Oum, spokesperson for the Mindat CDF, said that they ambushed the military truck carrying soldiers and police officers as it was patrolling near the Forest Department office in eastern Mindat town.
The ambush occurred around 3:30 pm on 30 July.
“Our troops ambushed a military truck, which carried soldiers and police officers, when it was patrolling in the town. Three soldiers were killed immediately, and four soldiers or police officers died later. When we attacked the truck, they were unable to shoot back at us. After the ambush, soldiers based in a police camp located next to the office of the Forest Department attacked us with RPGs and 40 mm shells. None of our troops were injured, and we successfully retreated from the clash location,” Salai Har Oum told Khonumthung news.
Local people also reported that the Burma army collected seven dead bodies from the site of the ambush with another military vehicle.
The Mindat CDF spokesperson said that they were unable to seize weapons during the ambush because the Burma army soldiers based at a nearby police camp immediately started attacking them with heavy weapons.
“We had two separate clashes with them in Mindat on that day. The first clash took place in the morning when our troops attacked a Burma army military column on a hill about one mile away from the Infantry Battalion 274 (IB-274) base in western Mindat town. One Burma army soldier was killed during that clash. The second clash took place near the office of the Forest Department in eastern Mindat town in the afternoon when our troops attacked a military truck carrying soldiers and police,” Salai Har Oum told Khonumthung news.
Salai Har Oum confirmed that two Chin resistance fighters suffered minor injuries during the clash on Lay Mai Kon hill near the IB-274 base the morning of 30 July.