About 90 percent of townspeople have fled to safety following the fighting between the military council and Chin National Defense Force (CNDF) in Falam Township in northern Chin State during the last week of October.
From 25 to 27 October, fighting took place for about three days in Falam. The junta’s shelling injured at least four civilians and killed a female teacher.
Currently, there is no active fighting in Falam. However, due to the junta’s indiscriminate shelling, residents are living in fear, prompting 90 percent of the local population to flee, according to a local source.
A local who fled from Falam to a nearby village said, “There are very few people left in the town. About 90 percent of the population has fled. We are worried both inside and outside the town, as we can’t predict what will happen next.”
A local who fled to the village said, “Residents no longer dare to stay in Falam because the military shoots at anyone, anywhere. People are afraid to even enter the town. They can’t sleep peacefully, even if they stay overnight, as the fear is constant.”
Most of the locals from Falam, a town with a population of around 10,000, have fled to nearby villages, Hakha, Kalay, Yangon, and even the India-Myanmar border. Only a few residents remain behind to look after their homes.
The Chin National Organization/Chin National Defense Force (CNO/CNDF), active in Falam Township, is carrying out the Mission Jerusalem (MJ) to reclaim the township, in collaboration with the military leadership of the Chin Brotherhood.
Sent by KMG