SSPC troops advance to Var bridge amid intensified airstrikes
Falam, Chin State, 21 April 2026 – Troops from Myanmar’s State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) advanced from Parte village to Var Bridge in Falam township early on 19 April 2026, local sources reported.
The ground movement came hours after two airstrikes hit the western part of the township the previous night. Residents said a Yak-130 jet fighter, launched from Tada-U Air Base in Mandalay, carried out the attacks around 10:00 pm on 18 April.
One local described the sequence: “Around 7:00 am, SSPC troops advancing from Parte village reached Var Bridge. Last night, there were also two airstrikes.”
This latest push forms part of ongoing SSPC military operations across Falam township, where aerial bombardments near civilian areas have grown more frequent.
On the same day, 18 April, multiple airstrikes struck Tlangzar village and surrounding areas, damaging homes, according to reports from the region.
Falam town has seen prolonged fighting since resistance forces, including Chin National Defense Force units and allied groups, gained control of much of the area following the 2021 military coup.
The SSPC—Myanmar’s junta rebranded governing body under Senior General Min Aung Hlaing—has relied heavily on airstrikes and artillery to support stalled ground advances, often targeting areas near villages and strategic routes.
Chin resistance groups have reported inflicting significant casualties on junta forces in recent months, including through ambushes and the capture of outposts such as a strategic hilltop base near Khuangli village earlier in April.
In response, the military has escalated air operations, with earlier waves of strikes, causing civilian displacement, damaged infrastructure, and destruction of homes, schools, and churches across Chin State.
Peace overtures from the SSPC, including invitations for dialogue under the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement framework, have been largely rejected by groups like the Chin National Front due to deep distrust.
No immediate reports of civilian casualties from the 18-19 April incidents were available, but residents fear further escalation as SSPC forces press forward along key bridges and roads. The situation remains fluid, with local sources urging caution amid the intensified operations. – Reporting by Daniel
