Refugee influx into Mizoram up as houses torched in Myanmar

Aizawl: Myanmar junta troops advancing from Sagaing Region to Chin State have torched houses and a church along the Falam-Hakha road, forcing hundreds to flee from their homes, said Myanmar Now, a Yangon-based online news agency, on Friday.
The regime is moving reinforcements into Chin State in an attempt to crush resistance groups and take back control of the mountainous state, it said.
Recent clashes in the Chin State triggered more refugees pouring into Mizoram-Myanmar border Champhai and Hnahthial districts during the last three days.
Tuipuiral group Young Mizo Association president M C Lalramenga told TOI over phone from Vaphai in Champhai district that at least 210 refugees have taken shelter in six villages along the Myanmar border.
More than 40 trucks carrying junta soldiers and an armored vehicle arrived in Falam on Wednesday.
According to the Chin Baptist Convention (CBC), at least six houses and a church in a small Rialti village, about 15 km from Falam, were reduced to ashes on Wednesday.
Two more houses were burned down in another village on the following day.
“Even the church was not spared. They also torched six houses in a village called Thlanrawn, which was a mile away from Rialti,” Chin National Defense Force (CNDF) spokesperson Salai William was quoted as saying.
Rialti village had only around 40 inhabitants from 10 households, and all the residents of Rialti and Thlanrawn villages had fled their homes.
“It was an indiscriminate attack on homes and religious buildings. People are devastated,” said the CBC chairman.
A junta deployment has entered northern Chin State and another from Magwe Region into the south of the mountainous state to attack Chin resistance forces.
Salai Htet Ni, a spokesman for the Chin National Army (CNA), said the regime was targeting the headquarters of CNA, the armed wing of Chin National Front, as it works with the civilian national unity government to train and arm resistance fighters.
“Clashes will intensify in Thantlang, Falam and Hakha in northern Chin State. We are prepared. We are working with the Chin Defense Forces to repel attacks,” Salai Htet Ni said.
The junta has sent thousands of troops to Chin, Sagaing and Magway in preparation for what many fear will be massive offensives against resistance fighters.
Lalramenga said they were expecting almost 30 refugees on Saturday itself in Vaphai. More influx is expected as Vaphai villagers could hear gunshots on Friday at Tuibual army camp in Chin state, not far from Indian side.