Influx of Myanmarese nationals into Mizoram following fresh clashes

Aizawl: People from Myanmar's Chin state continue to trickle into Mizoram following renewed clashes between the army of the neighbouring country and Chin National Defence Force (CNDF), police said.

The CNDF is an armed group fighting against the Myanmar military.

Zokhawthar village council president Lalmuanpuia told that the Myanmar army carried out offensive operations against members of CNDF who were camping at an immigration check post near Tuivai bridge around 4 am on Saturday. Zokhawthar and Khawmawi are separated by Tuivai river which runs along the Indo-Myanmar border.

Lalmuanpuia claimed almost the entire village of Khawmawi, which has a population of about 6,000, have already fled to Zokhawthar.

Over 10,000 Myanmar nationals are now taking shelter in Zokhawthar, he said. According to government records, as many as 26,663 Myanmar nationals have taken shelter in different parts of Mizoram following the military coup in the neighbouring country in February

last year.

The northeastern state shares a 510 km long international border with Myanmar.

Six districts of the north-eastern state -Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual- share a border with Myanmar.