In Chin State, one of the regions with the strongest armed resistance after the coup, nearly 1,200 Chin people have been killed in attacks by the junta.
According to the Institute of Chin Affairs (ICA), 1,183 people were killed in Chin State during the junta’s five-year rule, including nearly 500 young people.
On January 31, the ICA released a report documenting the deaths and human rights violations suffered by Chin people as a result of the junta’s atrocities during the five-year period from February 1, 2021, to January 31, 2026.
“Looking back over the past five years, most of the deaths have occurred during armed clashes. This shows that both the Chin resistance groups that existed before the coup and those that formed after still face significant challenges in their operations. The junta has always been ruthless in committing atrocities. It has used people as human shields, planted landmines in civilian areas, and sharply increased airstrikes targeting civilians,” said Salai Van Sui San, spokesperson for the ICA.
The ICA noted that the nearly 1,200 deaths included civilians, protesters, resistance members, religious leaders, and those killed while in junta detention.
Among the deaths, 33 were children under 10, and 44 were between 11 and 17 years old. The largest group, 497, were aged 18 to 35, while 159 were over 36. The ages of 451 victims were unknown.
The number of people killed in the armed conflict reached 574, including 169 civilians who were caught in the crossfire or arbitrarily arrested and killed by the junta. According to the ICA, 405 Chin resistance fighters were killed on the battlefields over the five-year period.
“In recent years, more Chin resistance fighters have been killed, mainly because the resistance has stepped up offensives to capture towns, while the junta has been using increasingly advanced weapons,” Salai Van Sui San said.
Over the past five years, the junta has carried out more than 400 airstrikes in Chin State, killing 246 civilians and 154 Chinland Defence Force (CDF) members, and injuring over 1,140 people.
In addition, 2,199 houses, 76 Christian churches, and 88 government and public buildings including schools and hospitals were damaged, severely affecting the daily lives of the local population.
At least 33 Chin people were subjected to torture, sexual violence, and arbitrary killings while in junta detention, resulting in their deaths. The ICA condemned these acts as violations of international human rights law.
The conflict has left over 100,000 Chin people internally displaced, while the number of those seeking refuge abroad has risen to more than 60,000.
“The people have had to deal with the consequences of the conflict on their own. Whenever fighting breaks out, they are the first to flee. The junta has even deliberately targeted refugee camps with airstrikes. But the people haven’t backed down, and their spirits haven’t been crushed. Over the past five years, they’ve invested and sacrificed so much. The commitment of the Chin people to this struggle is truly admirable. It’s clear how determined they are to win, and they continue to support the local armed resistance forces with all their strength,” Salai Van Sui San said.
Over the past five years, landmines have killed 55 civilians and 29 resistance fighters in Chin State. These hidden, deadly devices serve as a constant reminder that danger can strike even when there is no active fighting.
Junta forces continue to burn down homes in villages along their routes and use locals as human shields. According to the ICA report, nearly 100 Chin people have been forced into this role, and about 15 of them have been killed.
The ICA also called on the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the global community, and international human rights organizations to take decisive action against the killings and human rights violations committed by the junta against the Chin people.
