Chin resistance fighters ambushed a column of over 50 junta soldiers who were marching to the southern town of Kanpetlet on Tuesday morning, reportedly killing ten and prompting retaliatory shelling attacks by the military.
The Chinland Defence Force (CDF) in Kanpetlet attacked the column of soldiers about four miles from the town at around 10am shortly after receiving information about their movements from resistance fighters based in the nearby town of Saw.
Besides the fatalities there were several junta soldiers injured in the attack. In response, military units stationed at a police station and in schools in Kanpetlet fired mortar rounds inside the town, said a CDF spokesperson.
“Their reckless shelling hit the town,” he said. “The [gunfire] from the column of soldiers did not hit the town, though.” The clash lasted until 9pm, he added.
The CDF has warned civilians not to travel between Kanpetlet and Saw, which are 12 miles apart, as fighting there could become more intense.
Fighting began again at around 7am on Wednesday morning. “There was a clash today but we cannot disclose any information yet as we do not know the exact number of casualties yet,” said a spokesperson of the CDF.
There was a brief pause in the fighting due to heavy rain, but the clash continued at about midday, said a CDF fighter involved in the battle.
On Saturday, resistance fighters from Saw, Kanpetlet and the nearby town of Yaw, teamed up to fight the military near Kan Chaung village. Then on Monday the guerrilla fighters ambushed a convoy of 10 military vehicles and about 120 soldiers heading towards Saw from Kan Chaung.
The Saw People’s Defence Force said in a statement that it used landmines in the attack and injured five soldiers.
Earlier this month the underground National Unity Government declared a “resistance war” against the military junta.
The junta has not commented on the recent clashes near Kanpetlet.
