29 Myanmarese soldiers, who had sought refuge in Mizoram after clashing with the People’s Defence Force (PDF), were repatriated on Sunday. A total of 74 officers and personnel from the Myanmar army safely escorted back after their camps were overrun by pro-democracy militia groups.
The soldiers, part of the Myanmar army, fled to Mizoram on November 16 following the takeover of their camp in Tuibual, Chin state, near the Indo-Myanmar border by the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF), a faction of the PDF. Indian defense authorities airlifted them to Moreh, Manipur, from where they crossed into Tamu, Myanmar’s neighboring town.
Inclement weather delayed their evacuation on Friday and Saturday, extending their stay in India. Upon their arrival at Saikhumphai hamlet near the Tiau River, serving as the natural boundary between India and Myanmar, they were received by the Assam Rifles and state police.
Under the care of the Assam Rifles, the soldiers were repatriated to Myanmar on Sunday. Earlier, 45 soldiers from Myanmar, who had fled to Mizoram after PDF overran their military camps at Khawmawi and Rihkhawdar, were also sent back to their country.
The situation along the Indo-Myanmar border has remained peaceful since November 15, with no reported clashes. Most of the 5,000 individuals seeking shelter in Mizoram due to recent conflicts have returned to their villages in Myanmar.
Mizoram shares a 510-km-long porous international border with Myanmar and has been a haven for over 31,000 refugees since the military coup in February 2021, primarily comprising members of the Chin community. Both Chins and Mizos belong to the Zo ethnic group, fostering a shared cultural and ethnic background between the communities.