Defence forces killed six junta soldiers, injured a further eight and seized weapons in a surprise attack on a junta army arsenal in Falam Township, Chin State, on 12 August.

The defence forces launched the attack on the Infantry Battalion 268 base in Falam Township at 2:00 a.m. on 12 August. The fighting lasted for two-and-a-half hours. As well as the junta casualties, on the defence forces’ side Wunna Tun was killed. He was the second-in-command of the Chinland Defense Force - Kalay Kabaw Gangaw (CDF-KKG), one of the defence force groups involved in the attack.

“[Our] troops had been marching since midnight and they launched a surprise attack when they reached the Military Council’s arsenal. The gunfire commenced at approximately 2:00 a.m.and [our] forces retreated at around 4:30 a.m. Tragically, during the retreat, the Second-in-command of CDF-KKG was fatally shot by soldiers from the Military Council. Additionally, several weapons from the arsenal were seized during the operation”, said a CDF-KKG official.

The defence forces seized four MA-3 rifles, three 60 mm mortars, two machine guns, two RPGs, and a significant quantity of machine gun magazines from the junta arsenal, according to the CDF-KKG.

Following the attack on the arsenal the junta launched two retaliatory attacks targeting civilians.

At 8:00 a.m. junta troops from Infantry Battalion 268 fired artillery into Sontala Village in Falam Township, and injured three residents. At 11:00 a.m. junta fighter jets launched an airstrike against Ramthalo Village in Falam Township. The airstrike wounded seven residents and also destroyed two houses and the Ramthalo Baptist Church.

The defence forces involved in the attack on the junta arsenal were the Chin National Army (CNA) and the Chinland Defence Force - Kalay Kabaw Gangaw (CDF-KKG).