Myanmar junta’s aerial assault on the Arakan Army (AA) in Chin State’s Paletwa Township has forced more than 500 villagers to flee to India’s side of Mizoram State.
An armed clash between the Rakhine ethnic armed force AA and the Myanmar junta army occurred near Meik-wah village, Paletwa Township, on September 1.
“We dare not stay in the village. It was terrifying. Junta’s aerial bombs landed near our village. We had to flee our homes,” said a villager.
All Meik-wah villagers fled their homes. Most of them crossed the Indo-Burma border and entered Mizoram State.
Local news outlets in Mizoram reported that over 560 refugees from Myanmar arrived in four villages in Lawngtlai District on September 2.
The Mizoram government’s report on the refugee influx last month estimated the Myanmar refugee population in Mizoram to be over 30,000.
Chin humanitarian groups operating in Mizoram believe that approximately 40,000 Myanmar refugees from Chin State are currently sheltering in Mizoram State.
