The Chin Brotherhood told DVB that it and allied resistance groups had detained nearly 200 military personnel after it seized control of Kanpetlet and Mindat towns in southern Chinland from regime forces on Dec. 21-22.
It claimed that the resistance has now seized over 80 percent of Chinland from the regime in Naypyidaw, which seized power after the 2021 military coup.
“The military retreated [from Mindat] during our offensive. Kanpetlet is now also [under our control],” said Salai Thang Chun Phay, the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) Mindat commander-in-chief. The CDF-Mindat is a member of the Chin Brotherhood.
Thirteen political prisoners, who had been detained since the 2021 coup, were freed from jail in Mindat Township, located 120 miles (193 km) south of the Chinland capital Hakha. Kanpetlet Township is home to Mount Victoria (aka Khonuamthung), located 160 miles (257 km) south of Hakha.
Both towns are in Mindat District of southern Chinland which is situated west of the Magway Region and north of Arakan State, where the Arakan Army (AA) has Paletwa Township in neighbouring Matupi District of southern Chinland under its control, as well as 12 towns in Arakan.
The Chin Brotherhood seized Mindat on Saturday, completing an offensive launched on Nov. 9 against regime forces in both Mindat and Falam townships.
Falam Township, located 71 miles (114 km) north of Hakha, may be the next domino to fall to the Chinland resistance. The Chin Brotherhood went on to take control of Kanpetlet on Sunday after military bases there were abandoned by the remaining Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 274.
“Regime troops and police fled their base before we could launch our offensive, allowing us to capture the town without firing a shot,” said Salai Timmy, the spokesperson of the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) – another Chin Brotherhood member.
At a press conference on Monday, the Chin Brotherhood spokesperson Salai Yaw Mang claimed that the regime had control of around 20 percent of Chinland. He added that the AA is supporting the resistance in its offensive.
Paletwa Township, 200 miles (321 km) south of Hakha, came under AA control on Jan. 14. This has created a rift between the two factions of the Chin resistance, as the Chin Brotherhood views the AA as an ally in its fight against the regime. Meanwhile, the Chinland Council has been critical of the role the AA plays in the Chinland resistance.
The Chinland Council was established on Feb. 1 as the government for all of Chinland, but its mandate that the Chin National Army (CNA) be the only armed force represented was rejected by many in Chinland and led to the formation of the Chin Brotherhood.
Tensions escalated between the Chinland Council and the Chin Brotherhood with fighting between the two factions of the resistance taking place in Matupi on June 18. The CNA withdrew from southern Chinland six days later, on June 24.
The two factions of the Chinland resistance met for peace negotiations in India in September. According to a preliminary agreement, they said they would not to encroach on each other’s areas liberated from the regime, that they would recognize the shared culture between ethnic nationalities in Chinland, and that they would continue to participate in talks organized by Zo Reunification Organisation (ZORO).
Chin Brotherhood spokesperson Salai Yaw Mang told DVB that while there may be disagreements or misunderstandings between both factions of the Chinland resistance, they have shared goals to eradicate the regime and to build an inclusive federal democracy.
The Chinland capital Hakha, as well as Falam, Tedim, and Thantlang in the north of the state, remain under regime control. The CNA launched Operation Jericho against the regime to take Hakha and Thantlang last month.
The Chinland resistance now controls a total of 13 towns, including the Myanmar-India border town of Rikhawdar in Falam District, which was seized by the CNA and CDF on Nov. 13, 2023.
