Burma Army (BA) soldiers who are part of a vehicle convoy travelling from Kalay in Sagaing Region to Hakha, Chin State, have torched 15 homes in a village along the route from Falam to the Chin state capital.
On 7 July, the 27 vehicle convoy left Falam town in Chin State after starting in the Sagaing capital on 29 June. The soldiers arrived in Chung Cung, which is located just over 10 miles from Hakha, on the evening of 14 July.
An officer from Hakha Chinland Defense Force (CDF), which is fighting against the junta in the region, said the BA burnt four houses the first night they arrived and ten on 18 July.
“They torched houses at three locations in Chun Cung. At least 15 houses had been already lit on fire in the village and they’re continue to burn more of them while they are staying there,” he said, explaining that they could see the houses burning from afar.
The BA attacked Chun Cung after CDF and some of the other Chin groups resisting the regime fought them between the village and Dok Htet during which time CDF soldier Salai Byet Ning was killed.
BA soldiers burnt down almost all the houses in Tarl, also located along the road from Falam to Hakha.
There were 41 houses in the village, which is about 14 miles from Falam town, before the soldiers burnt them down on 9 July and October, when the army torched 11 houses.
According to the Chin National Army spokesperson, they and other groups have killed more than 60 BA soldiers since 8 July.