20 March 2026 – Intense fighting broke out this morning near the Chin State Hluttaw (parliament) building in Hakha town, the state capital, as the military-appointed assembly held its inaugural session.
Gunfire erupted around 9:30 am in Chin Oo Sii Ward, close to the Hluttaw office. Local sources report clashes between troops aligned with the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) and members from the Chinland Defence Force-Hakha (CDF-Hakha), a local resistance group.
The fighting reportedly paused briefly before resuming with greater intensity. Casualties among SSPC forces remain unconfirmed amid the ongoing exchanges, with no immediate reports on civilian or resistance-side losses.
The incident coincides with the SSPC’s push to convene regional and state-level parliaments following controversial nationwide elections held in phases from late 2025 to early 2026.
Widely criticized as fraudulent and exclusionary – with major opposition parties barred, low voter turnout, and voting limited in conflict zones – the polls were dominated by the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).
In Chin State, polling occurred only in Hakha and Tedim towns, seen as the last junta-secure areas amid widespread resistance control elsewhere.
National parliament sessions (Pyithu and Amyotha Hluttaw) began on 16 and 18 March in Naypyitaw, while state and regional bodies were scheduled for 20 March. To attend today’s Chin State Hluttaw session, elected representatives from the disputed polls and military appointees were transported by helicopter from Kalay town in Sagaing Region to Hakha on 17 March.
A CDF-Hakha official confirmed the clashes are continuing but provided no further details on the situation or casualties.
The episode highlights persistent insecurity in Chin State, where resistance forces like the CDF-Hakha have challenged junta authority since the 2021 military coup. Hakha remains one of the few urban centers under significant SSPC influence, though surrounded by opposition-held territory.
No independent verification of the events was immediately available due to restricted access and communications in the area. The situation remains fluid. – Reporting by Daniel
