The Military Council destroyed a crucial bridge linking Tedim, Tonzang, and Cikha, where its soldiers have been clashing with Chin resistance forces in northern Chin State.
The regime fired artillery at the bridge over the Zalui River, approximately 13 miles from Tonzang, on June 10. The attack caused a large break in the middle, rendering it unusable.
A Tonzang woman said, “I don’t know how we’ll be able to travel in the area without this bridge.”
A coalition of resistance forces, under the direction of the recently formed Chinland Government, seized Tonzang and Cikha by May 23. Many of the regime forces retreated to Tedim, where the Chin Brotherhoods Alliance, not under the Chinland Government, launched an attack on the retreating soldiers a few days later.
The Military Council destroyed the bridge in a bid to prevent Chin resistance groups from sending reinforcements and food rations for their fighters in the town.
The junta has deployed similar tactics in other areas.
Their soldiers destroyed a bridge on the Manipur River (also called Mung Sung) on the second Burma-India trade road on June 8. The bridge connected Tedim with the Rihkawdar border town.