Thantlang, once a bustling town of 12,000 residents in Myanmar's Chin State, now stands as a haunting testament to the devastation of war. The entire civilian population has fled, leaving behind a ghost town ravaged by relentless conflict. Much of Thantlang has been reduced to ashes, with buildings burned to the ground and streets bearing the scars of some of the fiercest fighting in the region.
The town is bitterly contested, split between Myanmar military forces and the Chin Defense Forces (CDF). A stark division runs through its core, with merely a few hundred meters separating the two sides in downtown Thantlang. This proximity has turned the town into a battlefield, with both factions engaging in intense and violent clashes for control.
Thantlang’s plight highlights the broader tragedy engulfing Chin State, where the conflict has led to widespread displacement, destruction, and loss of life. Despite the desolation, the fighting continues unabated, underscoring the deep divisions and unrelenting hostilities in the region. The ruins of Thantlang stand as a grim reminder of the human and material costs of war, and the urgent need for a resolution to the crisis that has upended countless lives in Myanmar.
New recruits for the Chin National Army (CNA) doing physical exercises during their lenghty training before integrating the CNA. The ever increasing air strikes and forced military service enacted by the military dictatorship, has substantially increased the number of people that engage and seek refuge with the ethnic armed groups opposing the military coup leaders. CNA HQ, Camp Victoria in Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Thantlang, a town of 12,000 before the war is now completely evacuated of its civilian population. The town has been completely destroyed and mostly burned to the ground. Until this day the town is divided between a Myanmar military conrolled part and the other half controlled by the Chin Defense Forces. Merely a couple of hundred meters separates them downtown. Some of the most violent and intensive combats in Chin State are taking place to this date in Thantlang. Vui Chip Chin Defense Forces outpost, Thantlang in Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Member of the Chin Defense Forces (CDF) on the frontline in the hospital facing the Myanmar military positions. The town has been emptied of its civilian population and is since then bitterly fought over. At this stage both sides control more or less 50% of Thantlang. Thantlang hospital, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Thantlang, a town of 12,000 before the war is now completely evacuated of its civilian population. The town has been completely destroyed and mostly burned to the ground. Until this day the town is divided between a Myanmar military conrolled part and the other half controlled by the Chin Defense Forces. Merely a couple of hundred meters separates them downtown. Some of the most violent and intensive combats in Chin State are taking place to this date in Thantlang. Thantlang frontline, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin Defense Forces (CDF) sniper positions on the frontline in the hospital building. Merely 200m separates their position from the Myanmar military posts. Thantlang hospital, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Women new recruits for the Chin National Army (CNA) undergoing a lenghty training before integrating supporting functions within the CNA. Camp Victoria in Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Soldier of the Chin National Army (CNA) recovering at the military hospital in Camp Victoria, the HQ of the CNA. Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin Defense Forces (CDF) outpost in Thantlang. Vui Chip CDF outpost, Thantlang, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin National Army (CNA) and Chin Defense Forces (CDF) positions in a school on the frontline facing the Myanmar military a couple of hundred meters away. Thantlang downtown, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Displaced persons from Thantlang town, merely one hour from this camp. Hrankhan IDP camp in Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin Defense Forces' positions overlooking the town of Thantlang. Vui Chip CDF outpost, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin National Army (CNA) and Chin Defense Forces (CDF) position on the frontline facing the Myanmar military a couple of hundred meters away. Thantlang downtown, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin National Army (CNA) new recruits training. CNA HQ in Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Resistance fighters of the Chin Defense Forces in charge of holding the hospital buiding facing the ennemy positions. Thantlang hospital, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Salen IDP camp, the largest in Chin State, hosting more than 650 people from Thantlang, Kalay and Matupi. Salen, Thantlang township, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Hospital building of Thantlang after having been repeatedly shelled by the Myanmar military position just a couple of hundred meteres away. Thantlang hospital, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin National Army (CNA) and Chin Defense Forces (CDF) positions in a school on the frontline facing the Myanmar military a couple of hundred meters away. Thantlang downtown, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Member of the Chin Defense Forces (CDF). Vui Chip CDF outpost, Thantlang, Myanmar, April 2024
Members of the Chin Defense Forces at the frontline in a school facing the Myanmar military positions. The town has been emptied of its civilian population and is since then bitterly fought over. At this stage both sides control more or less 50% of Thantlang. Thantlang school building, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin Defense Forces (CDF) sniper positions on the frontline in the hospital building. Merely 200m separates their position from the Myanmar military posts. Thantlang hospital, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Member of the Chin Defense Forces at the frontline in a school facing the Myanmar military positions. The town has been emptied of its civilian population and is since then bitterly fought over. At this stage both sides control more or less 50% of Thantlang. Thantlang school building, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Thantlang downtown frontline facing the Myanmar military positions on the opposite hill from where the town is repeatedly shelled. The civilian population has been evacuated in September 2021 after the military shelled it and burned it down. Thantlang downtown, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Member of the Chin Defense Forces at the frontline in a school facing the Myanmar military positions. The town has been emptied of its civilian population and is since then bitterly fought over. At this stage both sides control more or less 50% of Thantlang. Thantlang school building, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Salen IDP camp, the largest in Chin State, hosting more than 650 people from Thantlang, Kalay and Matupi. Salen, Thantlang township, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Frontline position of the Chin Defense forces (CDF) in downtown Thantlang. Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Member of the Chin Defense Forces (CDF) on the frontline in the hospital facing the Myanmar military positions. The town has been emptied of its civilian population and is since then bitterly fought over. At this stage both sides control more or less 50% of Thantlang. Thantlang hospital, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Thantlang, a town of 12,000 before the war is now completely evacuated of its civilian population. The town has been completely destroyed and mostly burned to the ground. Until this day the town is divided between a Myanmar military conrolled part and the other half controlled by the Chin Defense Forces. Merely a couple of hundred meters separates them downtown. Some of the most violent and intensive combats in Chin State are taking place to this date in Thantlang. One of the main roads leading to the hospital of Thantlang in Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Member of the Chin Defense Forces (CDF) on the frontline in the hospital facing the Myanmar military positions. The town has been emptied of its civilian population and is since then bitterly fought over. At this stage both sides control more or less 50% of Thantlang. Thantlang hospital, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Zung Uktung, 18 years old from Thangtlang was part of the Chin Defence Forces when he stepped on a landmine in November 2023. The relative proximity of a medical facility and first aid on the frontline contributed to his leg being saved and avoid amputation. He is now in New Delhi to have recontructive surgery on his heel and having titanium plates fixed. After recovering he will return to his unit until the revolution overthrows the military dictatorship. Chin safe house in New Delhi, India, April 2024
Chin National Army (CNA) and Chin Defense Forces (CDF) positions in a school on the frontline facing the Myanmar military a couple of hundred meters away. Thantlang downtown, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Resistance fighters of the Chin Defense Forces in charge of holding the hospital buiding facing the ennemy positions. Thantlang hospital, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin Defense Forces (CDF) frontline in a school facing the Myanmar military positions. The town has been emptied of its civilian population and is since then bitterly fought over. At this stage both sides control more or less 50% of Thantlang. Thantlang school building, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Chin National Army (CNA) and Chin Defense Forces (CDF) positions in a school on the frontline facing the Myanmar military a couple of hundred meters away. Thantlang downtown, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Thantlang, a town of 12,000 before the war is now completely evacuated of its civilian population. The town has been completely destroyed and mostly burned to the ground. Until this day the town is divided between a Myanmar military conrolled part and the other half controlled by the Chin Defense Forces (CDF). Merely a couple of hundred meters separates them downtown. Some of the most violent and intensive combats in Chin State are taking place to this date in Thantlang. CDF positions in a hospital buiding on the frontline. Thantlang downtown, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
Thantlang, a town of 12,000 before the war is now completely evacuated of its civilian population. The town has been completely destroyed and mostly burned to the ground. Until this day the town is divided between a Myanmar military conrolled part and the other half controlled by the Chin Defense Forces (CDF). Merely a couple of hundred meters separates them downtown. Some of the most violent and intensive combats in Chin State are taking place to this date in Thantlang. CDF positions in a hospital buiding on the frontline. Thantlang downtown, Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
School building on the frontline in downtown Thantlang. Chin State, Myanmar, April 2024
