Civilians in southern Chin State have fled their homes to an area controlled by the Chin resistance or to other villages after a column of the regime entered their village in Matupi Township as part of a clearance campaign.

On Saturday, about fifty Burma Army (BA) soldiers entered Wei Tue village, where about 150 people live, and began arresting the residents and accusing them of supporting the resistance. They confiscated about 24 mobile phones before the villagers fled.

According to the spokesperson of the Matupi Chinland Defence Force (CDF), all those who could’ve fled were gone on Monday.

Wei Tue is near a strategic hill occupied by BA soldiers and only five miles from Matupi town, where the Light Infantry Battalion 304 and 104 are based.

A BA convoy of 80 vehicles, including two tanks carrying troops, rations and military equipment, set off from Kyauk Htu in Magwe Township and arrived in Mindat town on 24 March.

The Mindat CDF spokesperson said it would take at least 10 days to reach Matupi, a distance of 105 miles. The CDF has been ambushing the convoy on its way and killed several BA soldiers.