Myanmar soldiers seek refuge in Mizoram amidst conflict with armed ethnic group
In a recent development, it has been reported that a significant number of Myanmar military personnel, identified as the ‘Tatmadaw,’ numbering at least 151, sought refuge in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district. The fleeing soldiers approached Assam Rifles at Tuisentlang on Friday, bringing with them their arms, after their camps near the international border were reportedly overrun by the Arakan Army fighters.
According to a report, an Assam Rifles officer, intense gunfights between the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army have been ongoing in areas close to the Indian border for the past few days. Some of the Myanmarese Army personnel who entered Mizoram on Friday were reportedly critically injured, receiving immediate first aid from the Assam Rifles.
As of now, the Myanmar soldiers are under the safe custody of Assam Rifles at Parva in Lawngtlai district, near the Myanmar border. The officer mentioned that discussions are underway between the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Myanmar military government, indicating that the soldiers are expected to be repatriated to their home country in the coming days.
A senior Mizoram police officer reported that the Tatmadaw personnel entered Lawngtlai district with their arms, fleeing from their camp in Chin State’s Paletwa in Myanmar, situated across the international border. A preliminary inquiry by the state police revealed that the Myanmar army base near Parva village was captured on Thursday by the Myanmar People’s Army, also known as the People’s Defense Force (PDF) or the Chin Defense Force (CDF), along with the Chin National Army (CNA).
The fleeing soldiers crossed the international border at pillars number 2 and 4 to reach Tuisentlang, with indications that more Tatmadaw members may seek refuge in the border village. This incident follows a similar occurrence in November, where a total of 104 Myanmar soldiers fled to Mizoram after their military camps along the Myanmar-India border were reportedly overrun by the pro-democracy militia – People’s Defence Force (PDF). The Indian Airforce airlifted them to Moreh in Manipur, from where they crossed the international border and entered Tamu, the nearest border town in Myanmar.
The total number of Tatmadaw members who have crossed the 404-km Mizoram-Myanmar international border to surrender to Indian authorities since November 13 has reached 255. The Tatmadaw camps has succumbed to the resistance efforts of local militias and CNA forces in Myanmar’s Chin State, which shares a border with Mizoram since 2022, as the National Unity government in exile of Myanmar has called for the overthrow of the military junta through force.
