The fighting began at 6am on Saturday when government forces reinforced by helicopters began attacking the western part of the city of Mindat, destroying many homes, a spokesman for the Chinland Defense Force said.
The U.S. and British ambassadors to Myanmar have expressed concern over reports of a government crackdown on a city in the western province of Chin State, where the ruling party declared war on military action.
The fighting began at 6am on Saturday when government forces reinforced by helicopters began attacking the western part of the city of Mindat, destroying many homes, a spokesman for the Chinland Defense Force said.
It is a militia group formed in the area against the insurgency in February that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Helicopters also took part in the attack, according to a spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
"The city of Mindat has been besieged and is preparing for heavy attacks by air and land junta forces," the Chin Human Rights Organization said in a statement.
The Dignity National Unity Government, established by lawmakers barred by the military from taking its seats in Parliament, has warned that “in the next 48 hours, Mindat could become a battlefield and thousands of people face the risk of deportation. ”
Many have already left the city of about 50,000 people, said a telephone operator who was also fleeing.
The Mindat Township People's Administration, another opposition group, said 15 young men were captured by government soldiers and used as public protection. He said at least five of the city's defenders were killed during the clashes and 10 others were injured.
None of this information can be confirmed independently, but the state television station Myanmar on Saturday night reported that the war was continuing, and he acknowledged that the city's defenders have been fighting hard for the army.
"The military's use of anti-civilian weapons, including this week in Mindat, is another indication of how much the state will sink to hold on to power," the British Ambassador to Twitter said. "We call on the military to stop the violence against the people."
The U.S. embassy said it was "aware of the growing violence in Mindat, including reports of soldiers shooting dead people," and called for evidence of brutality to be sent to UN investigators.
Detailed tallies compiled by various watchdog groups say government security forces have killed more than 750 protesters and 750 as they try to suppress opposition to the military's seizure of power.
In April, security forces accused of killing more than 80 people in a single day to clear roadblocks set up by the military as strongholds in the city of Bago.
In many cases, police and soldiers have tried to disrupt peaceful protests, but while increasing their use of deadly force, some protesters have defended themselves. In recent weeks there has been an increase in the number of small bombs in many cities, especially those causing minor damage and few injuries.
The junta said the death toll was less than 300, and the use of force was justified in ending what they called violence.
Mindat's opponents are less armed, especially with the traditional type of single-hunting rifle, but the territory around the city is mountainous and wooded, preferring defenders over invaders.
State television report MRTV recorded an earlier attack on government troops and deployed, as early as Thursday, when a group of about 100 troops barred them from entering the city, destroying one car and leaving an unknown number of security officers dead and missing.
In a subsequent attack, it was reported, there was even greater force that even began to attack the city in search of security guards nearby, destroying six vehicles and creating an unspecified number of government victims.
The opposition government earlier this month announced a plan to unite groups such as the Chinland Defense Force into a national "People's Defense Force", which will serve as a precursor to the "Federal Union Army" for democratic forces, including minorities.
Khin Ma Ma Myo, the Deputy Minister of Defense in the shadow government, said one of the functions of the People's Defense Force was to protect the army from the onslaught of the military and the violence perpetrated by the junta.
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