Myanmar military regains territory in Chin State

The Myanmar military is regaining territory following significant losses to opposition forces in recent years. A key example of this reversal is the capture of Falam, a strategic town in Chin State near the Indian border. After a six-month offensive involving hundreds of airstrikes and approximately 1,000 troops, rebel fighters withdrew from the town in April due to a lack of ammunition.

Falam is strategically vital as it houses Chin State’s only airport and sits along a major trade route to India. Following its fall, the military claimed control over the entire northern part of Chin State by late May. Resistance members, such as Salai William Chin of the Chin Brotherhood, noted that while capturing towns is possible, maintaining control requires significant manpower, logistics, and the ability to protect civilians from aerial attacks.

The military’s resurgence is attributed to several factors, including a mass conscription campaign that has added tens of thousands of recruits, a sustained air campaign, and increasing influence from China. China has played a role in brokering ceasefires with certain ethnic armed groups, which has impacted the momentum of the opposition forces that previously made major gains in 2023 and 2024.