800 Myanmarese seek refuge in Mizoram after aerial bombing

AIZAWL: A fresh influx of over 800 refugees from Myanmar into the Champhai district of Mizoram has been reported in the past few days following an intense civil war and aerial bombing of villages by the military junta of the neighbouring country, leaders of the Village-Level Committees on Myammar Refugees (VLCMR) here said on Tuesday. Farkawn area VLCMR secretary T Lalrindika said there are 820 new entrants in their village while a leader of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) branch in the nearby Vaphai village said around 30 people have entered his village from the Chin state of Myanmar.
Talking to TOI, Lalrindika said, "Currently, we have 1,812 refugees taking shelter in the Farkawn village. The refugees are originally from Halkha town, Thantlang town, Tlangpui, Farrawn and Tlanglo villages of the neighbouring country."
He added that the intensified civil war between the Myanmar army, known as Tatmadaw, and the ethnic insurgent groups along with the local civilian resistance force in the Chin state is one of the main reasons behind the fresh influx.
Sources said the frequent ambush of the Tatmadaw patrols by cadres of militant groups and the local civilian militia, mainly the Chin Defense Force (CDF) and retaliation by the Myanmar army through artilleries and aerial bombardment on settlements made the people flee their towns and villages.
The US-funded Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that 40 houses were gutted in Hniarlawnthar hamlet within the Halkha town, the headquarters of the Chin state on Saturday, forcing many people to flee their homes.
Halkha town was bombarded by Myanmar warplanes on April 12 and 13. Many houses were burned and a large number of people were displaced during the bombing.
Mizoram has already hosted over 31,000 refugees from Myanmar following the military coup in February 2021.