10 December 2025 — Hundreds of residents from Paletwa township in Chin State have fled into India following a recent mandatory recruitment drive by the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA).
Local sources confirm that the AA teams have been systematically moving through villages to register eligible men and women for military service.
The registration campaign began in mid-November, targeting villages including Laung Ka Du, Seint Sin Wa, Tone Ma Wa, Rimawa, and Hna Ma Dar. Teams are collecting names of men aged 18–45 and women aged 18–35. Women with children under the age of two are exempt.
A young man who fled to India reported that fear of forced conscription is widespread across the township, prompting numerous families to abandon their homes as the AA expands its reach into the lower parts of Paletwa township.
From mid-November through early December, the number of new arrivals in India has surged, with over 200 people reaching the Tuidam camp, approximately 60 at the Khaki camp, more than 20 near Lungsui, and about 30 each in Lhonpu and Phaikhon villages.
Aid workers estimate that roughly 30% of those seeking refuge are children and elderly individuals.
The newly displaced urgently require essential aid, including food, cooking utensils, blankets, warm clothing, and temporary shelter. Many families also need financial assistance to purchase materials like bamboo and timber to construct basic housing.
The ULA/AA took control of Paletwa township from the military in January 2024 and has been administering the area as a district since that time. – Reporting by Ben
