There was a firefight between the Chin National Army (CNA), the armed wing of the Chin National Front (CNF) and Burmese troops in Chin state, western Burma on September 16. A soldier of the Burmese Army was reportedly killed and another injured.

The clash in which 30 Burmese soldiers and seven cadres of the CNA were involved occurred near Ramri village in Paletwa Township, around 10 miles from the Indo-Burma border.

The encounter began at 6 am and lasted five minutes.

"The clash took place unexpectedly when Burmese soldiers went out of the village (Ramri) and CNA cadres were about to enter the village," Pu Htet Ni, a spokesman of the Chin National Front said.

According to the CNF spokesman, there was no casualty on the CNA side.

The gun battle between Burmese troops and CNA cadres near Ramri village is the first firefight after Burmese soldiers attacked a CNA hideout near Zokhua village in Thangtlang Township in February this year killing a CNA soldier.

The CNF was established in 1988 with the aim of wresting self-determination rights for the Chin people and to establish a federal Union of Burma based on democracy and freedom.

The first round of peace talks between the CNF and Burmese military junta took place in Rih town in Chin state near the Indo-Burma border on March 2007. The second round of talks was initially agreed to be held on August 2007. But later, it was postponed. – KHONUMTHUNG.