Resistance fighters in Chin State say they killed 1,029 junta soldiers and lost 58 of their own last year after taking up arms in April in response to murderous crackdowns on anti-coup protesters.
The massive discrepancy in casualties reflects the fact that Myanmar military troops are unfamiliar with the local terrain and lack “dedication”, the Chinland Joint Defence Committee (CJDC) said.
Self-organising guerilla groups across the country are inflicting similar levels of damage against the military’s ground troops, presenting a major obstacle for a junta that has unsuccessfully tried to crush resistance to its rule for a year.
The CJDC, which oversees the various chapters of the Chinland Defence Force (CDF), said there were 184 clashes between its forces and the military between April 24 and December 31.
A CJDC spokesperson said the resistance fighters have the “full support of the people.”
He added: “The military only have weapons and they lack dedication. Our resistance fighters are dedicated to winning.”
The Chin fighters have the upper hand over the junta’s forces because of their deep knowledge of the treacherous mountainous terrain they call home, he said.
The CDF was formed in April and had its first battle on April 24 in Mindat, which has since borne the brunt of the fighting and seen 60 clashes.
There have been some 25 battles in Hakha Township, which is home to the state capital, while Falam, Thantlang and Kanpetlet have also been hotspots of violence.
As well as the 184 clashes, there have been numerous smaller incidents, such as shootouts that occured when CDF troops ran into soldiers unexpectedly, the CJDC said.
On top of the soldiers killed, around 200 soldiers and police officers in Chin have defected to join the Civil Disobedience Movement, the CDJC spokesperson estimated.
The CJDC also said it recorded 27 civilian deaths last year.
Earlier this month junta soldiers abducted and killed 10 civilians, including a 13-year-old child, in southern Chin following fighting there with resistance groups.
Around 10 resistance fighters have been killed by junta forces in clashes in Chin this month. Another six died in accidental explosions while planting or making explosives meant for junta soldiers.
Some 400,000 people have been displaced by violence across Myanmar since the coup, the UN’s humanitarian affairs office said this week.
