The commander-in-chief of the Chinland Defense Force-Thantlang (CDF-Thantlang), Salai Ram Zel, was killed in the battle for Thantlang, according to reports from local media, Chin revolutionary groups, and his associates.
Salai Ram Zel was reportedly around 30 years old at the time of his death.
The Chin joint defense forces had been engaging in fighting for months to capture the National League for Democracy (NLD) office and the police station in Thantlang, which had been occupied by the military junta. Salai Ram Zel lost his life during the fighting on October 12.
“There were around 30 terrorist junta soldiers left at the NLD office and around 70 at the police station. While they were preparing to attack the NLD office, the junta forces fired from a distance, only a few meters away. The commander-in-chief was preparing his weapons, saying he would fire himself when suddenly the other side fired first, according to preliminary reports,” said a source familiar with the situation on the ground.
Since early October, fierce fighting has been reported in Thantlang. On October 7, the CDF and allied Chin defense forces managed to capture the military junta post at the CB Bank in Thantlang. The military junta continues to maintain a presence in the NLD office and the police station, with the allied Chin defense forces currently engaged in combat at those two locations.
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