24 January 2026 – A joint operation by local Chin defense groups attacked a State Security and Peace Council (SSPC) troop convoy advancing toward Falam town, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 SSPC soldiers.
Confirmed sources indicate that the SSPC troops, traveling from Kalay town and on the move since 20 January, were ambushed with landmine bombs and drone strikes near Zawngkong village, Tedim township yesterday.
According to the Lungmili Post, local defense forces had previously used bombs against the SSPC troops on 22 January, though the number of casualties then was unknown. In yesterday’s coordinated attacks, initial bomb blasts killed at least 9 soldiers, followed by drone attacks that accounted for at least 10 more fatalities.
The troops were previously sighted arriving at Taingen village, Tedim township on 21 January, and near Valung village on 22 January.
The SSPC forces are reportedly unable to proceed due to the ongoing attacks and remain stalled on the Kalay-Falam-Hakha road.
The conflict is escalating, with fierce battles underway as resistance forces attempt to halt an advance toward the towns of Tedim and Falam. The SSPC conducted airstrikes on Khuafo village in Thantlang township last night, despite the absence of any ongoing active clashes during the time of the aerial bombardments.
The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) has condemned this escalation, pointing out that the SSPC’s deployment of heavy armor in civilian areas poses a severe threat of displacement and “scorched-earth tactics” for thousands. The CHRO is urgently calling on the global community to impose an immediate embargo on aviation fuel to stop the airstrikes supporting the advancing column and to act decisively to end impunity.#
