Martial law in Myanmar town after attacks on bank, police

As per state media report on Friday, the Myanmar's junta has declared martial law in a town in Chin State after blaming "armed terrorists" for attacks on a police station and a bank,  amid an upsurge in fighting between the military and ethnic rebels in border areas. The unrest in the town of Mindat on Wednesday and Thursday involved about 100 people using homemade guns to attack a police station and about 50 targeting the Myanmar Economic Bank, the state Myanmar News Agency reported. It said that the security forces had repelled the attack without suffering any casualties.

A document declaring the imposition of martial law in the town in Chin State, which borders India, was posted in The Global New Light of Myanmar, a state newspaper. But a document posted on social media by local media claiming to be from a rival anti-junta administration in the Mindat area said the declaration of martial law was invalid. It also said that the fighting was triggered by the army breaking a promise to release seven civilians detained during recent protests.In the face of widespread opposition, the junta has struggled to retain order amid daily protests in cities and fighting in border states since overthrowing elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi to end tentative steps towards democracy.