8 May 2026 – The State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) deployed approximately 600 soldiers into Tedim town, Chin State, on 8 May 2026, intensifying ground and aerial operations in anticipation of a planned attack by the Chin resistance group, the People’s Defence Force-Zoland (PDF-Zoland).
The SSPC column, which advanced from Taingen village and reached the town entrance around 4:00 pm, had earlier been resisted by PDF-Zoland and allied forces near Thuammual village on 5 May, but the resistance groups were unable to stop the larger SSPC military force.
Following the troop deployment, SSPC authorities reportedly ordered the closure of government offices and instructed civil servants to relocate toward Kalay town, with travel along the main road currently restricted exclusively to government employees.
A field volunteer from the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) stated that this move has sparked anxieties regarding a potential increase in military activity in the neighboring towns of Rihkhawdar and Tonzang. “Only government employees are currently being allowed to travel along the main road,” said the volunteer.
This deployment is part of a wider SSPC offensive across Chin State and Magway Region. Recent actions by the SSPC include the seizure of the strategic Laiva Dam and frequent airstrikes targeting areas like Kyaukhtu and Mindat.
The ongoing military operations have resulted in the displacement of thousands of civilians, with reports indicating nearly 7,000 residents from ten villages in Pauk township alone have been forced to flee their homes. – Reporting by Daniel
