Intense Clashes on Myanmar Border Displace Refugees in Mizoram
Gunfight Erupts Near Zokhawthar
Aizawl, July 6: A violent confrontation along the border with Myanmar resulted in the death of a member of the CDF-Hualngoram on Saturday. Stray bullets from the conflict struck Zokhawthar village in Mizoram, damaging at least five residences and a parked vehicle.
The clashes began around 8:45 AM between the Chinland Defence Force-Hualngoram (CDF-Hualngoram) and the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) near Rihkhawdar and Khawmawi, just a short distance from Zokhawthar, and continued until 2:30 PM.
Amid the chaos, a loudspeaker in Zokhawthar broadcasted a desperate message: “Your bullets are flying into our homes — please stop!” Local reports indicate that the renewed violence has caused fresh panic and displacement along the Indo-Myanmar border.
In a tragic incident, a refugee, a carpenter from Tahan in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, drowned in the Tiau river while attempting to escape back to India during the gunfire. His body has not yet been recovered.
In light of the escalating situation, the Assam Rifles have closed the Indo-Myanmar border gate at Zokhawthar, impacting the daily lives of Myanmar nationals who frequently enter Mizoram for education and medical services.
By Saturday afternoon, over 1,000 refugees had entered Mizoram seeking safety. Six combatants, four from CDF-Hualngoram and two from CNDF, sustained injuries and received local medical treatment, though their conditions remain uncertain.
The CDF-Hualngoram, part of the Chinland Council, and the CNDF, associated with the Chin Brotherhood and the Interim Chin National Consultative Council (ICNCC), have exchanged accusations of territorial violations and drone strikes since hostilities reignited on Wednesday following the death of CDF-Hualngoram member Lalliandinga.
The struggle for territorial control in Myanmar’s Falam township is central to the conflict, as both factions assert claims over the same regions.
Meanwhile, peace negotiations are underway. A representative from the ‘Advocacy Group for Peace in Chinland,’ established by Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, confirmed that mediation efforts are in progress, cautioning that internal conflicts could undermine the broader Chin-Mizo resistance against Myanmar’s military regime.
This latest outbreak of violence occurs just four months after the Chinland Council and the ICNCC reached a ceasefire agreement at the residence of the Mizoram Chief Minister in February.