Myanmar army battles anti-coup rebels in northwestern town

Protesters make the three-finger salute during a demonstration against the military coup in Yangon on May 15, 2021. - AP

YANGON, May 15 (Reuters): Myanmar's army battled local militia fighters in the northwestern town of Mindat on Saturday, residents said, to try to quell a rebellion that has sprung up to oppose the junta that seized power in the South-East Asian country in February.

The fighting in Mindat, Chin state, underlines the growing chaos in Myanmar as the junta struggles to impose authority in the face of daily protests, strikes and sabotage attacks after overthrowing elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.