Civilian woman killed by Myanmar junta gunfire in Hakha despite absence of clashes, CDF says

A local woman was killed by indiscriminate gunfire from Myanmar military junta forces in Hakha, Chin State, despite there being no active clashes, the Chin Defence Force-Hakha (CDF-Hakha) told Mizzima. On 1 August, around midnight, junta troops fired randomly near View Point in Hakha, hitting and killing a 52-year-old woman inside her nearby home, according to CDF-Hakha. “We do not know why they fired randomly. We haven’t entered the town at all. At present, we have also suspended operations inside the town. The woman was shot and killed due to their own indiscriminate shooting,” the CDF-Hakha chairman told Mizzima. He said that while some residents assumed a clash was underway due to the prolonged shooting, no fighting occurred between CDF-Hakha and junta troops, as town operations are currently suspended for civilian safety. The CDF-Hakha chairman also said the junta has taken no responsibility or provided compensation for civilian casualties resulting from its reckless firing. The victim died from excessive bleeding after being shot in the thigh, leaving behind four children. CDF-Hakha has urged Hakha residents to remain vigilant against the dangers posed by junta forces and to avoid contact with them as much as possible. Following the killing of three local residents in Hakha’s Pyidawtha Ward on 17 July, CDF-Hakha launched a retaliatory attack, killing Police Battalion (14) commander Zaw Zaw Aung and his personal assistant.