Myanmar regime troops seized a temporary camp of Chin resistance forces in an ambush near Hakha Town on Monday morning, killing three resistance fighters during the clash, according to Chin resistance forces.
Regime troops ambushed the camp at 4 a.m. on Monday, with fierce fighting lasting about two hours. Three resistance fighters were killed and some arms and ammunition were taken, a spokesperson for the Chin Defense Force-Hakha told The Irrawaddy.
“We withdrew from the camp because they ambushed it with massive force. Their base camp in Hakha Town was also shelling us with heavy weapons during the clash,” the spokesperson said.
Hakha is the capital of western Chin State, which has seen widespread anti-regime resistance and clashes since soon after the 2021 coup.
Several clashes occurred near Hakha over the past two weeks, after about 300 regime troops from the town launched a two-column offensive at Thee Mit Valley, about eight kilometers away. One column is trying to advance above the valley and another below it.
Combined resistance forces from the Chin National Army (CNA), Chin Defense Force-Hakha, and Chin Defense Force-Zophei are fighting regime troops. Both sides have sustained casualties in clashes over the past two week.
The junta has sent reinforcements from Sagaing’s Kalay Township to Hakha and helicopters patrols have become frequent due to heavy casualties during clashes with Chin resistance forces, the spokesperson of Chin Defense Force-Hakha said.
CNA spokesperson Salai Htet Ni said Chin resistance forces responded to the regime’s ambush with a drone attack on Monday, but it could not verify regime casualties due to bad weather.
“There are clashes every day,” Salai Htet Ni told The Irrawaddy. “Three or four resistance fighters were injured during clashes on Tuesday.”
More clashes erupted near Thee Mit Valley on Wednesday morning but no casualty reports had been received, he said.
Regime troops are trying to seize the CNA headquarters in Thantlang Township, while the CNA said it is preparing to crush the two junta military columns.
Chin resistance forces have stalled both columns at Thee Mit Valley, the CAN said.
More than 50 regime troops have been killed and another 20 wounded in clashes at Thee Mit Valley, according to the CNA. More than a dozen Chin resistance fighters have been killed and over a dozen more wounded, it said.
The Chin National Front, a Chin nationalist political organization, barred entry to people from outside the state after the Myanmar military started using civilian public transport vehicles to move troops into Chin State.
