9 May 2026 — A military column of approximately 100 soldiers belonging to the ruling military junta has become untraceable near Laikua in Falam Township, Chin State, prompting an urgent security warning for local residents.
According to a member of the Chin National Army (CNA), the military unit was last stationed in Laikua but its current whereabouts and specific movements remain unconfirmed.
Military analysts and CNA personnel suggest two primary possibilities regarding the unit’s location: they may be maintaining “radio silence” to set up a tactical ambush, or they may be heading toward Rulbu village.
As the column’s trajectory is unpredictable, the CNA and local news outlets have issued a security warning to residents of surrounding villages due to the high risk of ‘surprise incursions’.
These unexpected entries into civilian areas are often for the purpose of acquiring supplies, forced labor, or tactical positioning.
The movement of troops through Chin State’s steep hills and forests is often done under cover or off-road, leading to units ‘disappearing’ from local tracking before reappearing to engage in raids or scorched-earth tactics.
Sudden troop arrivals in Chin villages have historically been linked to the burning of homes, arbitrary arrests, and the use of civilians as human shields. Residents are therefore advised to have emergency ‘go-bags’ ready.
Falam Township is a strategically important mountainous region, serving as a critical link between the state capital, Hakha, and the Indian border. Control over these routes is essential for the junta to maintain supply lines.
This reported disappearance follows recent active military engagement in the region. Specifically, the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) recently seized control of the strategic Laiva Dam following a deadly clash on 8 May 2026.
In an effort to re-establish governance, the SSPC also deployed over 100 non-Civil Disobedience Movement (non-CDM) civil servants to Falam town.
The Chin National Army (CNA), the armed wing of the Chin National Front (CNF), works with local Chinland Defense Forces (CDF) and operates the intelligence networks that provide primary safety information to civilians in the region. – Reporting by Daniel
