Thousands of residents from Rihkhawdar town have fled to the Indian side as clashes erupted this morning between the Military Council troops and local defense forces in Rihkhawdar town, Chin State, according to residents.

Local defense forces launched an attack on a Military Council camp located on the hilltop of Rihkhawdar town, near the Myanmar-India border. Following an exchange of fire between the two sides, local residents fled to Zokhawtha village on the opposite side of the Ṭio River, according to a resident.

"Some residents started fleeing to Zokhawthar last night, and additional evacuations occurred this morning as the conflict unfolded. With thousands of houses in the town, there are now thousands of people fleeing the ongoing conflict," the resident explained.

The resident added that, during the exchange of fire between the Military Council troops and the defense forces, the Military Council stationed on the mountain of Rihkhawdar town fired artillery shells. An artillery shell exploded in the Zokhawthar refugee camp on the Indian side, resulting in injuries to a 75-year-old woman and an underage child.

"An artillery shell struck the house where war-displaced individuals were seeking refuge. To our knowledge, a 75-year-old woman and a 2nd-grade student sustained injuries to the hand," said the resident.

It is reported that local residents brought the injured individuals to Champhai Hospital in India. Additionally, they are cooking and providing food for the refugees who fled the conflict in Myanmar.

As a result of the ongoing conflict in Rihkhawdar town, the operation of some passenger vehicles from Kale Township to Rihkhawdar has been temporarily halted. As of the time of writing this report, the sounds of mutual gunfire continue to be heard.