A refugee relief officer in charge told Mizzima that at least seven local people were killed while fleeing the war in Mindat, Chin State. Three of the deaths were due to a lack of medical supplies.

"A certain person died by the stream while fleeing the war. An old man died of asphyxiation while running in the rain. Another pregnant woman died because there was no doctor to give birth. Mainly, there were seven deaths due to a lack of medicine. We have made a list of seven persons, but there will be deaths more than we listed." he said.

Five local youths have reportedly been arrested by the militant group on their way to buy medicine as refugees in Mindat are running out of medicine.

A resident of Mindat said, "In the previous days, three young men buying medicine were arrested. Yesterday, two young men buying medicine were arrested by people in plainclothes at a pharmacy in Kyauhtu."

With only three local doctors providing free medical care to refugees in Mindat, they are getting in trouble for the shortage of doctors.

In the past few days, a sick baby and a local man with gastritis have died because of the lack of medical supplies. Due to the continuous rains in Mindat, most of the refugees are suffering from colds and flu.

In addition, pregnant women who are about to give birth, refugees suffering from diarrhoea and other diseases are reportedly in need of doctors and medical supplies.

Some refugees in hard-to-reach areas are currently facing food shortages as they have to boil only vegetables in the mountains.

As there is a shortage of food in the refugee camps, they are considering planting seeds to cultivate in the mountains, according to an official from the People's Defense News Agency in Mindat.

Although no fighting has taken place so far, most of the refugees have not been able to return home as houses are being looted by the military council troops in Mindat in recent days.

According to locals, by requesting farmers, villagers have been living in tents between the river and forested hills in villages near Mindat until now.