Nearly 300 new refugees from Myanmar have fled to Mizoram’s border village Zokhawthar in Champhai district, along the India-Myanmar border, following clashes between two anti-junta rebel groups: the Chin Defence Force (CDF) and the Chin National Defence Force (CNO/CNDF). The fighting reportedly began around midnight on July 2 in the villages of Satawm, Lianhna, and Tuichirh in Myanmar.
In response, the Assam Rifles in Mizoram have sealed the border gate at Zokhawthar in Champhai district, and security has been placed on high alert along the Indo-Myanmar border. As reported earlier, nearly 33,000 refugees—mostly Chin people from Myanmar—have been sheltering in the state.
The conflict between the CDF and CNDF reportedly erupted over area control after CNDF forces entered CDF territory and launched drone attacks. Tensions between the two groups had been escalating in the Hualngoram area since early June 2025, when CNDF forces moved into the region and established approximately three checkpoints.
The CDF is affiliated with the Chinland Council, which is supported by the Chin National Front (CNF) and its armed wing, the Chin National Army (CNA). The CNO/CNDF is allied with the Chin Brotherhood and the Interim Chin National Consultative Council (ICNCC), serving as the Chin Brotherhood’s political wing.
