At least 13 junta troops were killed by Chin resistance groups in two separate attacks on a convoy of three military trucks carrying around 80 soldiers and food to a junta outpost in Paletwa Township on March 23 and 24.
In the first attack on March 23, the Chin National Army (CNA), the armed wing of the Chin National Front (CNF), joined the Chin Defence Force (CDF) to launch an ambush on the road between Matupi and Paletwa near Valan Tee village. Fighting between the junta troops and Chin resistance groups continued for a few hours, resulting in the deaths of at least six junta troops.
The following day, as the convoy moved closer to Paletwa Township, land mines laid by Chin resistance groups 24 kilometers from Matupi killed another seven soldiers.
“We know they suffered at least 13 fatalities over the two days. The convoy was heading to supply food and reinforce troops at Htel Bwe outpost near Paletwa Township, which is inside the area we control,” a spokesperson for the CDF-Matupi reported.
He added that a full company of around 80 to 100 junta troops is already based at Htel Bwe and the military was attempting to reinforce it with troops from Light Infantry Battalion (304) based in Matupi.
Earlier, on March 20 and 21, CDF-Matupi ambushed the same convoy in three land mine attacks on the road near Twi Ship village, killing at least a dozen junta troops and injuring many more, according to the resistance group.
“Now they have only about 50 troops and a dozen of them are injured,” said a CDF-Matupi spokesperson.
Resistance forces in the anti-regime stronghold of Chin State are bracing for a regime offensive after witnessing a massive reinforcement of junta troops since the second week of March.
Residents and resistance fighters in the mountainous northwest state report that junta convoys have been crossing into northern and southern Chin State from neighboring Sagaing and Magwe regions since early this month.
CDF-Matupi has issued a warning to civilians that junta troops have laid land mines around the 16-mile marker on the Matupi-Paletwa road and asked them to avoid the stretch from Matupi near Wah Pone junction until demining has been carried out.
