A gunfight erupted between Chin resistance forces and junta troops in Hakha, the capital of Chin State, around noon on August 7, killing a junta police officer, the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) announced.

“Around 11 am, fighting broke out in central Hakha, with both small arms and artillery being used. It’s not clear exactly which ward it happened in. Gunfire’s been heard almost every day in Hakha lately, especially since the junta started giving more details about the election it’s planning,” a Hakha resident said.

A police lieutenant was shot while in his car but managed to drive back to the station, where he later died from his injuries, the CHRO reported.

On the night of August 3, shootouts and explosions rocked Hakha City, injuring several civilians.

Earlier that afternoon, the junta arrested 40 people, mostly young men, in the city, the CHRO said.