12 May 2026 – The State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) military forces have begun efforts to restore administration and public services in Falam town, Chin State, nearly two weeks after recapturing the strategic town from Chin resistance forces on 25 April.
The administrative push follows a reconstruction meeting held in Hakha yesterday, chaired by recently reappointed Chief Minister Dr. Vung Suan Thang.
Officials and local representatives discussed facilitating the return of approximately 4,300 to 5,000 displaced residents and reopening key infrastructure, including government offices, schools, and Falam General Hospital, before the end of May.
More than 100 non-Civil Disobedience Movement (non-CDM) government employees who were sheltering in Kalay reportedly returned to Falam on 6 May. The SSPC military has invited individuals and organizations to participate in reconstruction, announcing financial support of 20 million kyats for rehabilitation projects and an additional 10 million Kyats for military personnel.
Despite these plans, many residents remain reluctant to return due to ongoing security concerns. The return is also hindered by high travel costs, as military checkpoints along the Kalay-Falam Road have reportedly imposed excessive fees on passing vehicles.
The exorbitant checkpoint fees are part of a broader security challenge across Chin State, where SSPC operations, including offensives to regain control of key border routes with India’s Mizoram State, have sparked mass civilian flight.
The months-long fighting in Falam township displaced over 20,000 civilians, including more than 3,000 children. Civilian infrastructure, including homes and the General Hospital, sustained extensive damage from airstrikes and artillery shelling before Chin resistance forces lost control of the town. – Reporting by Daniel
