At least eight regime soldiers from a 150-strong column were killed after being repeatedly ambushed by Chin fighters over several days in Matupi Township in southern Chin State.

Chin National Army (CNA), Matupi Chinland Defence Force (CDF) and Paletwa CDF attacked the junta’s column as it was travelling from Lai Len Pi town to Htel Bwe military camp on the Matupi-Paletwa road.

An officer from Paletewa CDF told Khonumthung News that the regime probably chose this route because it was shorter and because there had never been any fighting in the area.

On 12 March, the civilian resistance group said it killed one junta fighter and wounded five others with a landmine.

The following day, all groups attacked the column near La Oak Stream, killing 7 regime soldiers and wounding 10 men in two clashes that lasted all day.

One CNA soldier was killed by the junta. Fighting continued the next day near the stream, but it was not clear if there were any casualties.

Indiscriminate shelling by the junta damaged a house, a school and a church.

On 12-13 March, Chin fighters attacked a junta camp in Rihkhawdar on the Indian border in Falam Township in northern Chin State.

At least 3 soldiers were killed by the resistance fighters at the hilltop camp in Ward 2 of the town.

According to the Zoland People’s Defence Force, six police officers, including a lance corporal, defected to the resistance on 6 March.

All the officers were working at the Rihkhawdar police station.

Most of the civilians living in the town fled across the Indian border to Zokhawhtar in Mizoram State on 7 March after fighting broke out.