A total of 280 Chin people were killed, and more than 1,400 houses, as well as religious and government buildings, were destroyed due to the junta’s airstrikes in and outside Chin State, according to a report by Institute of Chin Affairs (ICA) on 4 March.
According to the ICA, during the more than four years since the coup until February 2025, the military council conducted 250 airstrikes on areas inhabited by Chin people, killing over 200 Chin civilians and more than 80 Chin resistance members, while injuring over 450 others.
Salai Van Sui San, spokesperson of the ICA, said: “The military council increases the use of airstrikes when it suffers heavy casualties in ground battles. Another point is that the junta resorts to airstrikes on areas they aim to completely control.”
The ICA reports that more than 100 Chin civilians and at least 56 resistance members were killed in Chin State. Additionally, the junta airstrikes killed over 100 Chin civilians and at least 20 resistance members outside of Chin State.
The areas outside Chin State refer to a report compiled by the ICA on the impact of airstrikes on Chin people in Sagaing Region, Magway Region, and Arakan State.
Salai Van Sui San said: “Among those killed in the airstrikes are female Chin resistance members. Female Chin resistance members were killed in the airstrikes on Camp Victoria, and there are reports of similar deaths in other areas. Nearly 10 female Chin resistance members have been killed in the airstrikes.”
The ICA said that the military council targeted civilians with airstrikes, as 71 percent of civilian deaths were caused by airstrikes, while only 29 percent of the deaths were of Chin resistance forces.
The airstrikes destroyed 1384 houses, 39 religious structures and more than 40 government buildings.
The military council reportedly carried out 250 airstrikes, dropping more than 1,300 bombs. (Each airstrike is counted as one per day for each battle area.)
Since the coup, the military council has reportedly killed up to 983 Chin people in Chin State and outside of it through various forms of violence, including airstrikes, artillery shelling, and arrests and executions.
The ICA claims that the military council is repeatedly violating international humanitarian law and customary law, which protect persons, objects, buildings, and displaced people.