All the entry and exit gates of the Town of Matupi in Southern Chin State are still closed by the Military Council hence no goods can be imported, and the prices of basic commodities are rising. The residents of the town are now running out of food.
“All the gates are still closed. Currently, we are only eating the small amount of food that we gathered before. We still can’t go out of town. If the gates stay closed for another week, the city will run out of gasoline”, a Matupi resident said.
On September 19, after the military council troops and CDF-Matupi fought again near the town, the military council forces banned all entries and exits from Matupi. and allowed travel, The transportation of goods to the town was banned too.
The Military Council troops placed checkpoints on the three main roads connected to Matupi, Matupi-Mindat road, Matupi-Hakha road and Matupi-Paletwa road, and no one was allowed to pass through.
The Military Council troops are not only seizing Matupi, but also placing red flags as warning signs around the outside of the town.
“The city is surrounded by the army. Red flags have been raised and security has been tightened around the city. The Military is firing artillery almost every day”, a resident from Matupi said.
Matupi is a strategic town located in southern Chin State and the headquarters of the regional military central command bases there. Two battalions of the Military Council were also stationed in Matupi.
Clashes broke out between the Military Council forces and CDF-Matupi on September 19, 24, 25, 27 and 29. 19 Military soldiers were killed during the fighting and a comrade from CDF-Matupi martyred.
