Renewed fighting in southern Chin State between the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) and the military has affected civilians from ten villages in Mindat Township.
A volunteer helping the villagers displaced from the recent clashes told Khonumthung News it is difficult to determine how many civilians were affected by the hostilities because some have taken refuge in the jungle while others are hiding among their farms.
“They are facing many difficulties,” the source said. They do not have enough food to eat or medicine, and since the army blocked rice shipments from reaching the township, even those with money cannot buy it. “Soldiers arrest anyone attempting to buy medicine” for them.
According to the volunteer, there were Burma Army (BA) soldiers deployed from Htee Lin and Shwe Aung Tha villages in Chin State, next to Magwe Region.
The fighting is breaking out around Shwe Twin Tuu, Dant Tee, Suan Tawng, Tawng Kon and Pee Hu.
The rest have fled from five villages in the surrounding area. After the temporary ceasefire expired on July 16, fighting started four days later near Shwe Twin Tuu village, next to Magwe Region.
CDF or Mindat People’s Administration, as the CDF chapter was called at that time, was formed at the end of April to protect individuals and groups targeted by the military council for peacefully resisting its rule.
Since fighting started, tens of thousands of villagers were uprooted by the BA’s
offensives and are hiding in the jungle or remote villages in the township.
With the help of religious leaders and elders, CDF and BA agreed to a temporary ceasefire in late April, which expired on May 12.
A second temporary ceasefire was brokered from June 20 to July 4, and extended until the 16th.