24 June 2026 – Repairs are underway on the Mansaung Bridge over the Manipur River in Tedim township, Chin State after it was damaged in a bomb attack on 7 June.
According to local reports, an unidentified armed group detonated explosives against one of the bridge’s support pillars. Although the bridge did not collapse, the blast caused significant damage to its central support structure, preventing vehicles from crossing.
Youths from Lamzang village are currently repairing the damaged pillar with concrete. In the meantime, goods bound for the India-Myanmar border town of Rihkhawdar are being carried across by hand.
The bridge is a key transportation route linking Tedim with Rihkhawdar and plays an important role in India-Myanmar border trade.
The structure currently in use is an unfinished bridge that was built during the National League for Democracy (NLD) government but left incomplete after the 2021 military coup halted construction. It became the main crossing after the original Mansaung Bridge was destroyed in June 2024 in an explosion reportedly carried out by the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) forces.
The latest damage has again disrupted transportation and trade, prompting local residents to undertake repair work to restore the vital crossing. – Reporting by Daniel
