Junta soldiers are taking amphetamines and fighting under the influence of drugs, according to the Chin Defense Force (Mindat) and the Chin Defense Force (Matupi).

From 27 April to 14 May the two groups were attacking a junta convoy of 73 military trucks and two tanks that were travelling from Matupi to Mindat Township. During the fighting, that killed 84 junta soldiers and injured others, Chin Defence Force (CDF) personnel noticed that many of the junta soldiers that they were fighting seemed to be high on drugs.

“I don’t know why, but most of the junta soldiers were using a lot of stimulant tablets. During fighting they were laughing when soldiers from their own side died. They even laughed when their artillery missed targets”, said an official from CDF - Mindat.

He added that junta soldiers laughed when a dog came and licked the blood off the body of one of their comrades who had died from blood loss due to gunshot wounds.

Earlier in April, after fighting near Mindat Golf Course, CDF- Mindat confiscated a junta vehicle containing many yaba (amphetamine) pills.

The military convoy left Matupi on 27 April and arrived in Mindat on 14 May, taking 18 days to travel 104 miles due to the many attacks from defence forces along the way. As previously mentioned, 84 junta soldiers lost their lives over the course of the journey, according to the CDFs.