251 Myanmar Citizens Taking Shelter in Mizoram After Bombings

AIZAWL: More than 200 citizens of Myanmar have sought safe shelter in the Champhai district of Mizoram after the recent airstrikes by the armed forces of the country in its border region.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Champhai district, 251 citizens of Myanmar have taken shelter in three villages under his district after the recent bombing aimed at destroying the insurgent camps in the region.

Myanmar had carried out the aerial bombing operation in order to root out the headquarters of the Chin National Army. The armed forces had carried out two series of attacks targeting Camp Victoria, the military head office of the Chin National Army on January 10 and 11. The first round of attacks reportedly killed five of the members of the outfit including two women but the second one did not have any casualties.

Although some local people and organisations claimed that some of the explosives landed on the Indian side of the border as well, the report of the DC office to the home department of the state last week mentioned that "one of the bombs or its shrapnel hit the Tiau River". This landmark is the one marking the India-Myanmar border.

According to the numbers provided by the DC office, 3 people have taken shelter in Thekte, 17 in Samthang and 231 in the Farkawn village since the aerial attacks.

According to the state, more than 30400 nationals from the neighbouring country are taking shelter in different parts of the state. Out of them 1453 are in Farkawn, 220 in Thekte and 24 in Samthang villages of the Champai district.

These people are staying in 160 relief camps that have been set up across eight of the 11 districts of the state. The majority of these people belong to the Chin region and share the same ethnicity as the Mizo people.

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