Myanmar Spring Chronicle – July 6 Overview
(MoeMaKa) July 7, 2025
Chin Armed Groups Clash in Border Town Near India
In the border town of Rihkhawdar in Chin State, which borders India’s Mizoram State, an internal conflict erupted when Chin armed forces under the Chin National Organization/Chin National Defense Force (CNO/CNDF) attacked CDF-Hualngo (a local defense force), which had previously seized the town from the military junta. As a result, local civilians began fleeing across the border into neighboring India, according to multiple reports.
Administratively, Rihkhawdar falls under Falam District, although it is located about 96 km from Falam Town and only 53 km from Tiddim.
Since the 2021 military coup, in addition to the longstanding Chin National Front (CNF) and its armed wing, local defense forces have been formed based on territory and ethnic subgroups. In the southern parts of Chin State — Mindat, Matupi, and Kanpetlet — other defense groups have emerged, some with connections to the Arakan Army (AA), while towns like Hakha and Thantlang have remained closely affiliated with the CNF.
In recent years, a separate coalition known as the “Chin Brotherhood,” composed of defense forces from southern Chin State and armed groups in Falam and Zomi areas, has formed and appeared to rival CNF-led forces.
CDF-Hualngo, which was targeted in the recent clash in Rihkhawdar, is aligned with the CNF and had joined forces with them in November 2023 to successfully drive out junta forces from the town.
Rihkhawdar is the second busiest border trade checkpoint after Tamu. Goods are transported from Kalay and Tiddim to Rihkhawdar and traded across the India-Myanmar border, making the town economically significant.
The assault on CDF-Hualngo by the CNO/CNDF — a Chin Brotherhood member — after the group jointly captured the town with the CNF a year and a half ago, reveals an internal rift among Chin armed groups.
Chin State consists of nine major ethnic subgroups and more than a dozen minor ones, each with its own dialects. Although CNF, with its decades of experience, has long played a leading role in trying to unify these various factions under a political umbrella known as the Chin National Council, some armed groups — especially those with close military ties to the Arakan Army — have chosen to remain outside of the council. These groups formed the Chin Brotherhood instead, creating a parallel organization and at times clashing with CNF-aligned factions.
The recent clash in Rihkhawdar reflects this divide: CNO/CNDF, part of the Chin Brotherhood, attacked CDF-Hualngo, a group affiliated with the Chin National Council, in an attempt to seize control.
Although the conflict occurred within Chin State, similar dynamics can be observed in other regions of Myanmar. For example, in Sagaing Region — especially in areas like Yinmarbin — multiple local defense groups have formed at the township or village level, and many remain fragmented and uncoordinated, despite sharing a common enemy.
In regions such as Yinmarbin, Depayin, and Pale, numerous People’s Defense Force (PDF) groups operate, sometimes cooperating in joint offensives but otherwise functioning independently.
Over the past four years, many armed groups have emerged in Mandalay and Sagaing Regions. However, not all are under the NUG’s Ministry of Defense (MOD). In towns like Monywa, Shwebo, Wetlet, Ayadaw, Yinmarbin, Kanbalu, Pale, and Myinmu, many independent groups continue to operate outside MOD oversight. Some groups, such as the BPLA and PLA, even extend their influence across Mandalay, Sagaing, and Magway.
The Rihkhawdar incident reveals not only a fracture within the Chin armed movement but also echoes the broader challenge of unity among armed resistance groups across Myanmar. In regions heavily populated by the Bamar ethnic majority, similar problems persist. If the goal is to defeat the military junta, then it is urgent to politically and militarily unify these fragmented armed forces under a single command.