A junta airstrike on Vumkhum village in Mindat Township, southern Chin State, killed eight civilians and wounded at least 15 others, prompting local resistance forces to issue urgent warnings for residents to prepare for further aerial attacks.
At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 30, a military fighter jet launched two bombing runs over Vumkhum—located in the M’Ghinghlaw village tract—dropping four 500-pound bombs on residential areas.
Local sources reported that the strike targeted a non-combat zone with no active fighting, hitting homes and shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
“Vumkhum village is far from the frontlines—the nearest fighting is about 15 miles away,” said Salai Yaw Mang, spokesperson for the Chin People’s Union/Chin People’s Army (CPU/CPA). “The jet dropped four bombs across two residential areas just 400 yards apart, killing and injuring civilians.”
The victims included two primary school boys, a ninth-grade girl, two displaced persons, and elderly residents.
The bombardment also damaged around 20 homes, destroying several.
Unable to make ground advances during its ongoing offensive in southern Chin State, the military regime has increasingly resorted to targeting civilian infrastructure.
The CPU/CPA condemned the airstrikes as cowardly acts and urged civilians across resistance-controlled territories to maintain high vigilance.
“Residents must take greater precautions against airstrikes than ever before,” a local Mindat resident said. “We must strictly avoid large public gatherings and remain alert at all times.”
Mindat Township’s resistance-led People’s Administration condemned the strike as an act of terrorism against innocent civilians.
The CPU/CPA reaffirmed its commitment to defending local communities and protecting civilian lives and property.
Clashes have intensified across Mindat and Kanpetlet townships since mid-May, when the junta deployed thousands of troops in a major offensive.
A coalition of local resistance forces, including the CPU/CPA, has largely stalled the military’s advance.
In response to battlefield setbacks, the junta has conducted at least 600 airstrikes using fighter jets and Y-12 utility aircraft across Mindat and Kanpetlet since mid-May, frequently targeting homes, schools, hospitals, religious sites, and markets.