The Chin Brotherhood says it seized total control of Matupi town in southern Chin State on Saturday after 20 days of fighting.
The group launched Operation Chin Brotherhood on June 9 to drive junta troops out of Myanmar’s poorest state, which borders Bangladesh and India. The Rakhine-based Arakan Army (AA) and Yaw Army from Magwe Region joined the operation.
The Chin Brotherhood includes the Zomi Federal Union, Chin National Organization, Mindat Chin National Council, Maraland and Kanpetlet Chin Defense Forces (CDF), and Matupi CDF Brigade 1.
“We have defeated the battalions and are now searching for junta soldiers fleeing or hiding. We also have to clear unexploded ordnance and landmines. Residents will only be able to return after the clearance operation. The [new] administration will be run by Matupi CDF Brigade-1.”
The group said it had seized a large cache of weapons including artillery from junta battalions. The Chin Brotherhood and allies also suffered casualties in the fighting, said its spokesman Salai Ha Awn, without providing details.
“The fighting was fierce and costly. Not only the Chin Brotherhood but also our allies suffered casualties,” he said.
The Brotherhood said the offensive was disrupted when it was attacked from behind by rival Chinland Council troops on June 18. It managed to repulse the Council troops, and continued its offensive on the Matupi tactical command and Infantry Battalion 140 on June 24, Salai Ha Awn said.
The Matupi tactical command consisted of Light Infantry Battalion 304 and Infantry Battalion 140, plus troops from Infantry Battalion 274 based in Mindat.
“Matupi is in a strategic location connecting Rakhine with control in southern Chin State,” said Ko Yaw Marn, spokesman of Mindat township people’s administration.
“The regime built its tactical command in Matupi because it attaches great importance to the town. If we can seize Mindat, Kanpetlet and advance further into Yaw [aka Gangaw and Pakokku districts in Magwe Region], we will also threaten the junta’s ordnance factories that manufacture 250-lb and 500-lb bombs for warplanes. If the ordnance factories collapse, the junta’s mechanism will also collapse.”
The Chin Brotherhood stated that together with allied forces, it would continue to drive junta troops out of Chin State.
Rival Chinland Council troops led by the Chin National Army seized Lailinpi and Rezor towns in Matupi Township in November 2023.
In Matupi Township, the local Chinland Defense Force is split into two brigades: Brigade 1 has joined the Chin Brotherhood while Brigade 2 has aligned with the Chinland Council.
Locals are worried about potential conflict when the rival groups install their own administrations.
