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The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Nearly 3,000 Myanmar refugees return to their villages from Mizoram
'Nearly 3,000 refugees from Myanmar, who recently crossed the International Border and took shelter in India, have returned to their villages in the neighbouring country,' a senior police officer said on Thursday (July 17, 2025.) 'More than 4,500 refugees from the neighbouring country had entered Mizoram and taken shelter in the border villages of Zokhawthar, Saikhumphai, and Vaiphai in Champhai district, following an armed conflict between Chin rebel groups — the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) and Chinland Defence Force (CDF-Hualngoram) — backed by the Chin National Army (CNA),' officials said. The refugees belonged to nearby border villages in Myanmar's Chin state. At least 23 dead after airstrike on Buddhist monastery in Myanmar A senior police officer told PTI that a total of 2,923 Myanmar refugees who had taken shelter at Zokhawthar village and 39 others at Vaphai have returned to their country as of Wednesday (July 16, 2025.) He noted that the return of the refugees began on July 7 and gained momentum on July 12, following a ceasefire agreement between the warring Chin factions. 'The situation along the Indo-Myanmar border is calm now,' the officer said, expressing hope that a few more refugees may return in the coming days. Mizoram shares a 510 km-long porous border with Myanmar. More than 20 civilians killed in Myanmar air strike on monastery: witnesses The CNDF and CDF, the two pro-democratic forces fighting against the Myanmar military junta, had engaged in fighting in early July for control of areas, forcing more than 3,000 refugees to flee to Zokhawthar. Subsequently, retaliatory attacks by the CNA, the largest Chin rebel group, on a CNDF camp at Rihli village in Chin state, triggered an additional influx of more than 700 refugees to Saikhumphai and Vaiphai. Mizoram has already given shelter to more than 32,000 Myanmar refugees, who had fled their country following a military coup in February 2021. Four years on, Myanmar and its continuing nightmare The State Government is planning to collect biometric and demographic details of Myanmar refugees in July-end for identification purposes. The Myanmar refugees are mostly from the Chin community, who share ethnic ties with the Mizos.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Nearly 3,000 Myanmar refugees return to their villages from Mizoram
Aizawl, Nearly 3,000 refugees from Myanmar, who recently crossed the international border and took shelter in India, have returned to their villages in the neighbouring country, a senior police officer said on Thursday. Nearly 3,000 Myanmar refugees return to their villages from Mizoram More than 4,500 refugees from the neighbouring country had entered Mizoram and taken shelter in the border villages of Zokhawthar, Saikhumphai, and Vaiphai in Champhai district, following an armed conflict between Chin rebel groups — the Chin National Defence Force and Chinland Defence Force — backed by the Chin National Army , officials said. The refugees belonged to nearby border villages in Myanmar's Chin state. A senior police officer told PTI that a total of 2,923 Myanmar refugees who had taken shelter at Zokhawthar village, and 39 others at Vaphai, have returned to their country as of Wednesday. He noted that the return of the refugees began on July 7 and gained momentum on July 12, following a ceasefire agreement between the warring Chin factions. The situation along the Indo-Myanmar border is calm now, the officer said, expressing hope that a few more refugees may return in the coming days. Mizoram shares a 510 km-long porous border with Myanmar. The CNDF and CDF, the two pro-democratic forces fighting against the Myanmar military junta, had engaged in fighting in early July for control of areas, forcing more than 3,000 refugees to flee to Zokhawthar. Subsequently, retaliatory attacks by the CNA, the largest Chin rebel group, on a CNDF camp at Rihli village in Chin state, triggered an additional influx of more than 700 refugees to Saikhumphai and Vaiphai. Mizoram has already given shelter to more than 32,000 Myanmar refugees, who had fled their country following a military coup in February 2021. The state government is planning to collect biometric and demographic details of Myanmar refugees in July-end for identification purposes. The Myanmar refugees are mostly from the Chin community, who share ethnic ties with the Mizos. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
7 days ago
- General
- Time of India
148 more refugees return to Myanmar from Zokhawthar
1 2 Aizawl: With 148 more refugees leaving for Chin state of Myanmar on Sunday, there are hardly over 1,300 refugees taking shelter in India-Myanmar border trade centre in Zokhawthar village of Champhai district bordering Myanmar, a village leader of Zokhawthar said. Zokhawthar village council president Laldinthara said only a few refugees are left in Zokhawthar as the large majority of those who fled Khawmawi, Rikhawdar and nearby villages of western Chin state since last Saturday have returned to their respective villages as the truce between the two rival groups of armed Chin militia held for three days. Laldinthara told TOI over phone that almost all the refugees have returned on Saturday from around 9am to Khawmawi and Rihkhawdar in Chin state. According to police record, at least 3,892 refugees fled their respective villages and were taking shelter in Zokhawthar village since gunfight began on July 5 as Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) attacked and captured eight camps of Chinland Defence Force (CDF)-Hualngoram while 2,319 people returned to Myanmar on Saturday. The total number of refugees who returned to western Chin state of Myanmar rose to 2,568 with only 1,324 remaining in Zokhawthar as of Sunday, police said.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Myanmar refugees in Mizoram begin to return after withdrawal of CNDF forces
The refugees from Myanmar sheltered in Mizoram have started returning to their villages following the withdrawal of the Chinland National Defence Force (CNDF) from Zokhawthar and Rihkhawdar in the conflict-hit nation, officials said on Sunday. Over 5,000 Myanmar refugees had fled to India since early July with reports of some of them dying during the trek. (Representational image / AP Photo) Over 2,500 refugees from Zokhawthar, Rihkhawdar, and nearby areas have returned to their country over the weekend, they said. An intense fight for control of areas by the Chin National Army (CNA) and Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) – two factions of the rebel forces that are fighting the Myanmar military junta– since early July had led to over 5,000 refugees fleeing to India with reports of some of them dying during the trek. Saiawia, the officer on duty at Zokhawthar police station in Mizoram's Champhai district said, 'Most of the refugees have left for Khawmawi, and we expect the remaining people taking shelter at the Zokhawthar border trade centre and another 850 staying in Saikhumphai, Vaphai, and Farkawn to return once the situation stabilises.' Ngurchhawna, vice president of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) in Zokhawthar, said that nearly all refugees housed in makeshift shelters—such as church halls and community centres—had been repatriated. 'As of our latest count, a majority of those who fled to Zokhawthar have gone back to Khawmawi. Only a few remain, mostly those staying with relatives,' he told reporters. The Zokhawthar unit of the YMA has been working in coordination with the Assam Rifles and local police to assist in the repatriation process and verify the numbers. The CNDF, the armed wing of the Chin National Organisation (CNO), had taken control of several villages in Myanmar early July amid escalating tensions with the rival Chin forces. Khawmawi, a strategic border town has been for long contested by CNDF and the Chinland Defence Force (CDF)-Hualngoram—both composed of fighters from the broader Zo ethnic community. On June 5, CNDF fighters launched a major offensive, reportedly capturing eight CDF camps and forcing their rivals out of Khawmawi, leading to a massive exodus of civilians into Mizoram. 'No formal ceasefire has been agreed upon,' said Jacob V. Zawma, spokesperson and political affairs secretary of the Hualngoram People's Organisation, the political wing of the Chinland Defence Force (Hualngoram). Zawma said the withdrawal came after mounting pressure from the Chin National Front (CNF) and its armed wing, the Chin National Army (CNA)—a close ally of the CDF and a dominant force in the Chinland Council. 'All Chin ethnic armed groups held an online meeting last Thursday, CNDF came under heavy pressure from fellow Chin factions to vacate Zokhawthar and Rihkhawdar. I believe they had no choice but to leave, especially when even their allies urged them to,' he added. 'Our men didn't surrender. They left to avoid civilian casualties. Once the civilians fled, we urged CNDF leaders to withdraw to avoid further escalation. Fortunately, they listened,' he said. However, Zawma accused CNDF cadres of looting homes and businesses in Zokhawthar before their retreat. 'We've received numerous reports of theft and vandalism. About 30 motorcycles are missing, and returning villagers say cash, gold, and other valuables were stolen. Our teams are assessing the full extent of the damage,' he added. The conflict reflects deeper fractures within the Chin resistance movement. Since Myanmar's 2021 military coup, ethnic armed groups in Chin State had initially united under two main coalitions—the Chin Brotherhood (CB) and the Chinland Council (CC)—to resist the junta. However, internal rivalries and disputes over territorial control have led to violent clashes between the two alliances. The CNDF is aligned with the Chin Brotherhood, while the CDF-Hualngoram and CNA are affiliated with the Chinland Council. In February this year, a fragile truce was brokered between the two camps during a peace dialogue held in Mizoram under the leadership of chief minister Lalduhoma. But by July, the ceasefire had all but collapsed. On July 5, CNDF fighters seized Rihkhawdar from CDF-Hualngoram forces. In retaliation, the CNA launched a counter-offensive, successfully capturing CNDF's headquarters at Camp Rihli.
NDTV
13-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Myanmar Nationals Who Sought Refuge In Mizoram Return Home
Around 2,500 Myanmar nationals, who had sought refuge in Mizoram following violent clashes between the Chinland Defence Force-Hualngoram (CDF-Hualngoram) and the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF) on July 5, began returning to their country on Saturday. Intense fighting between two armed Chin groups in Myanmar had forced civilians to flee to Mizoram's Champhai district on July 6. According to officials, around 2,845 people from Khawmawi and Rihkhawdar villages - both bordering Mizoram - had begun seeking refuge in Zokhawthar village since the morning of July 5. Most of the displaced joined relatives residing in Zokhawthar, while others took shelter at a local community hall, where civil society groups provided food and basic necessities. The armed conflict reportedly began around noon (Myanmar time) on July 5 in the villages of Satawm, Lianhna, and Tuichirh. According to reports, the CNDF forces launched a major offensive at approximately 8:30 am, with heavy gunfire continuing until 2:30 pm. The CNDFseized all eight CDF-Hualngoram camps, including their main base at Tuichirh. Five CDF-Hualngoram members were injured and evacuated to Zokhawthar, with one of them, who suffered a bullet injury on his face, being taken to Champhai District Hospital. Local leaders of Young Mizo Association (YMA) in Zokhawthar also confirmed that two wounded CNDF fighters received treatment in the village. Political Adviser to Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, Lalmuanpuia Punte, visited Zokhawthar on July 6, and also crossed over into the Chin State to meet leaders and broker peace between the two factions.
