Burma Army continued its assault on Mindat, firing at least 15 rounds into the southern Chin State town guarded by Chin Defense Force (CDF) on Saturday morning, May 15.
The latest shelling comes after six helicopters arrived the same day, delivering fresh troops and weapons to the military’s Battalion-274.
“They attacked Mindat town with artillery; shells landed near a pagoda and High School No-3. People are hiding in their homes,” a man from Mindat told Khonumthung News.
A Burma Army unit is deployed in Na-Ta-La School west of town, and a military column is on route to a Four-mile Buddhist monastery.
A fragile ceasefire with Mindat People’s Administration expired on May 12, after the military refused to release all five youths it detained.
Mindat People’s Administration merged with CDF. The former was the first civilian group in Mindat to take up arms against the regime while the latter established chapters across Chin State.
According to a Mindat People’s Administration representative, the army said it would only release four youths if they allowed a military convoy to come to Mindat from Sami town, located in Paletwa Township.
About 20 Burma Army soldiers were killed during clashes with Mindat People’s Administration last month, according to the civilian group, which started after the military council arrested 12 youths. After authorities released seven of them, the ceasefire was brokered.
Since fighting resumed, the military has been pounding the town with artillery and recently brought in a combat helicopter.