About 4,000 people from Myanmar have crossed into Mizoram’s Champai district in recent days following a fresh wave of violence in the neighbouring country’s Chin state, The Indian Express reported.

After crossing the Tiau River, which divides the two countries, the refugees have taken shelter in the Champhai district’s Zokhawthar and Vaphai villages, The Telegraph reported.

Most of the refugees have come from the border villages of Khawmawi and Rihkhawdar in Myanmar, which are adjacent to the Champhai district.

A conflict broke out on July 2 between two armed groups who have been fighting the Myanmarese military – the Chin National Defence Force and the Chinland Defence Force Hualnogram – prompting thousands to flee into the Indian state. The renewed fighting was reportedly connected to turf wars between the two groups.

Lalmuanpuia Punte, the political advisor to Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, told The Telegraph that about 4,000 refugees had fled the Chin state in Myanmar.

Following the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, several Myanmarese persons, mostly from the Chin state, moved to Mizoram. The Chin state and Mizoram share a 510 km long porous border.

The Chins of Myanmar and the Mizos share ethnic roots and fall within the broad ethnic grouping of Zo. The two communities speak the same Tibeto-Burman languages, and also follow the same customs, cultures and traditions.

As of April, Mizoram had nearly 40,000 Chin refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Also read: Mizoram opened its doors to ‘kin’ fleeing Myanmar. But now the mood is turning against refugees