Aizawl: In a dramatic escalation of tensions, the Champhai district in Mizoram is on red alert as the Myanmar Army engaged in a fierce clash with the pro-democratic force, the Chinland Defence Force (CDF). On Monday, Myanmar Army jet fighters dropped two bombs near Rihkhawdar village, just 4 kilometers from Mizoram’s Zokhawthar village.
The conflict erupted after CDF reportedly took control of a Myanmar Army camp in Rihkhawdar Village. The retaliatory airstrikes intensified the already heated exchange of fire on the Indo-Myanmar border close to Mizoram. Fortunately, there have been no reported damages on the Indian side of the border.
Champhai’s Deputy Commissioner, James Lalrinchhana, stated, “Fighting started on Sunday evening and continued through the night. There are also reports of bombing close to the international border, but there’s no damage on the Indian side.”
As tensions flare, Mizoram has once again opened its doors to refugees. Over 1000 individuals have sought shelter in Mizoram, with at least 17 persons, including women and children, being treated for injuries sustained during the bombing and gun battle at the District Hospital in Champhai.
The Mizoram government, defying the government of India’s orders to close its border with Myanmar and collect biometrics of the Chin refugees, continues to provide refuge to those fleeing the army crackdown in Myanmar. The state has been a sanctuary for refugees since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, with Mizoram Minister of Information and Public Relations Lalruatkima stating that around 60,000 refugees from Myanmar and the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh are currently residing in Mizoram. The government of Mizoram maintains that the Chin people in Myanmar share a common ethnicity with the Mizos
This unfolding situation highlights Mizoram’s defiant stand to support those affected by the ongoing unrest in Myanmar, despite the challenges posed by geopolitical tensions at the border.
