151 Myanmarese soldiers flee to Mizoram

Aizawl: At least 151 more Myanmarese soldiers fled to Mizoram after their camps were overrun by armed pro-democracy ethnic groups, officials said on Saturday.

According to officials, the Myanmar army personnel, also known as the 'Tatmadaw', fled to Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district with their arms and ammunition; and approached the Assam Rifles on Friday evening after their camps near the India-Myanmar border were overrun by the Arakan Army fighters.

Some of the Myanmarese soldiers were critically injured in the gun fight and basic medical treatments were provided to them by the Assam Rifles.

The soldiers are now in the safe custody of Assam Rifles at Parva in Lawngtlai district near the Myanmar border.

Intense gun battles between the Myanmar army and the armed fighters resumed during the past few days in areas close to the Indian border leading to the fresh influx of soldiers.

Like previous occasions, the Indian authorities would repatriate the Myanmar soldiers to their country through the Moreh border in Manipur after completing the necessary formalities.

In November, a total of 104 Myanmar soldiers including officers in different phases fled to Mizoram after their camps near the border were overrun by pro-democracy armed groups.

Since November 13, Myanmar soldiers fled to the Indian territory in different phases after their camps in Chin state were captured by the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF), the armed wing of the Chin National Organisation (CNO).

They were airlifted by the Indian Air Force to Moreh in Manipur, from where they had repatriated to Tamu, the nearest border town in Myanmar.

Besides soldiers, over several thousand Myanmarese, including women and children, took shelter in Mizoram's Champhai and other districts since last month following the gunfight between Myanmar's Tatmadaw (military) and CNDF cadres.

The district administration has provided food and relief materials to the refugees. Necessary medical aid has also been provided to them.

The first influx from Myanmar happened in February 2021 after the Military junta seized power there.

Since then, over 32,000 people, including women and children, have taken shelter in the northeastern state from Myanmar.

Mizoram's six districts -- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual -- share 510 km unfenced border with Myanmar's Chin state.

On December 16, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said that due to prevailing unrest around 6,000 people from Myanmar have taken shelter in his state in the recent past.