Myanmar junta troops traveling to the Chin State capital, Hakha, suffered heavy casualties after being ambushed, according to the Chin Defense Force (CDF).
The Chin National Army (CNA) and other resistance forces attacked a 27-vehicle convoy, including two armored cars, on Monday on the Falam-Hakha road, a CDF commander told The Irrawaddy.
The convoy left Kalay in Sagaing Region in early March to reinforce junta troops in Hakha. Resistance groups have repeatedly ambushed the convoy, inflicting casualties.
“The convoy has around 200 soldiers with food and weapons, it hasn’t arrived in Hakha yet,” the commander told The Irrawaddy.
Salai Htet Ni, a CNA spokesman, said seven soldiers in the convoy were killed by resistance snipers on Monday and around 15 were killed by mines. There were no resistance casualties, he said.
“They have only traveled for an hour for more than a week because of our attacks,” Salai Htet Ni told The Irrawaddy.
The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports.
The convoy left Falam on March 21. Hakha is over 70km from Falam.
Over 20 junta soldiers were killed and dozens injured in six mine attacks between March 10 and 17, according to the CNA.
The resistance forces have warned civilians not to use the Falam-Hakha road as fighting could break out at any time.
Junta reinforcements were sent to Chin State in March and April ahead of the rainy season. In April last year, over 70 military trucks were sent from Magwe Region to Chin State and many junta soldiers were killed and injured in ambushes.
