Thousands of refugees have migrated to India’s northeastern state of Mizoram following clashes between two anti-junta armed groups in Myanmar.
Refugees have been crossing into Mizoram since July 2, when clashes between Chin groups erupted over control of strategic areas in Myanmar’s northwestern Chin State. Around 4,000 refugees have crossed the border since the fighting began. Mizoram, which borders areas controlled by Chin groups and shares ethnic links with the Chin people, has hosted tens of thousands of refugees since the military coup in Myanmar in 2021
Mizoram’s interior minister, K Sapdanga, confirmed the arrival of 3,000 refugees, stating that the fighting is beyond their control. As of Sunday night, authorities recorded 3,980 people in two villages in Champhai district, Mizoram. The number is a tentative one, as fighting intensified and people started coming in as the fighting approached the border. A Myanmar junta spokesman did not respond to calls for comment.