Fighting between Chinland Defence Force (CDF) in Matupi Township and the military forced almost all the villagers of Nga Hlai to flee into the jungle.
A man living in Matupi town reported that only the senior citizens stayed behind after the fighting broke out at around 2 pm on 23 September.
The fighting started after the Burma Army (BA) arrested two residents, including a religious leader, in the small village of only 100 houses, about 30 minutes by motorbike from Matupi town.
The Christian pastor Ngai Kung was arrested by soldiers after they found photos on his mobile phone of traditional Chin hunting rifles, locally called Tuu Mee.
“He took some some beautiful photos of traditional Chin rifles,” the source explained, and that was all.
Although the rifles are used for hunting, Chin resistance forces have also been using them to fight against the BA.
The other villager was eventually released when nothing was found on his mobile phone but the soldiers took Ngai Kung to their IB-140 camp in Matupi town.
The pastor is a member of the COVID-19 Control and Response Committee for the township. Christian religious leaders are planning to meet with the commander of BA’s Strategic Command Headquarters in Matupi to demand his release.
Soldiers have been stationed in the village and are checking the phones of all travellers between Nga Hlai and Hpa Nai.
Around 10 am the same day, a BA fighter jet fighter flew over Matupi town twice. Later, the Internet and electricity stopped.
Everyone in the town was terrified the BA would launch an artillery attack, as happened recently in Thangtlang, about 310 km north of Matupi.
Since the coup about eight months ago, the armed forces have arrested 15 people. To date, no one has been released.