Amid escalating tensions along the India-Myanmar border, 29 additional Myanmarese soldiers sought refuge in Mizoram after their camp in Chin state was overrun by an anti-junta group. This brings the total number of Myanmar military personnel seeking asylum in Mizoram to 74, following recent clashes with the People's Defence Force (PDF). The soldiers, hailing from Tuibual in Chin state, approached the police and Assam Rifles at Saikhumphai in Champhai district near the Tiau river, which marks the border between India and Myanmar, as reported by PTI.
While 45 soldiers who fled earlier were handed back to Myanmar's military government, these 29 soldiers are yet to be repatriated, according to an Assam Rifles official. The situation has prompted India to call for a cessation of hostilities between Myanmar's military and anti-junta groups near the international border, resulting in an influx of Myanmarese individuals to Mizoram.
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Since the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar has been grappling with widespread protests demanding the restoration of democracy. The military junta has resorted to airstrikes against its opponents and those involved in armed resistance. The porous 1,640-kilometre border between India and Myanmar, shared with states like Nagaland and Manipur, underscores the strategic significance of Myanmar as one of India's key neighbors.
Mizoram has provided refuge to over 31,000 Myanmar nationals since the coup, highlighting the humanitarian challenges posed by the ongoing crisis and the displacement of people across borders.
