21 April 2026 – The State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) military has launched a major aerial offensive against Falam township, deploying advanced jet fighters and transport planes to carry out scores of strikes as ground battles intensify.
On Tuesday morning at approximately 9:50 am, a Russian-made Yak-130 jet fighter—believed to have launched from the Tada-U Air Base in Mandalay—targeted the northwestern sector of the township. This strike followed a devastating 24-hour period on 20 April, during which the military reportedly dropped more than 100 bombs across Falam.
Local sources confirm that the previous day’s assault involved a combination of Yak-130 light attack jets and Y-12 transport aircraft converted for bombing missions. The strikes focused heavily on the northern and western outskirts of the town, where resistance forces have maintained a strong presence.
The escalation in airpower comes as the junta struggles to maintain control of key logistics routes in Chin State. Falam is strategically vital, sitting on the main highway connecting the military’s Regional Operations Command in Kalay town of Sagaing Region)to the state capital, Hakha.
Analysts suggest the heavy reliance on the Tada-U-based No. 62 Fighter Squadron indicates a shift in tactics. Unable to reinforce ground troops due to effective roadblocks and ambushes by local Chin defence groups, the SSPC is increasingly using ‘punitive’ airstrikes to disrupt resistance operations and demoralize the local population. – Reporting by Daniel
