Junta forces advancing from Waibula Town toward Falam Town, both located in northern Chin State’s Falam Township, clashed fiercely with local Chin resistance fighters on November 17, prompting the junta to launch extensive airstrikes during the battle.
A 300-strong junta column clashed fiercely with Chin resistance forces from around 8:30 am on November 17 until evening. Although the fighting then paused, the situation on the ground remained tense.
“Heavy clashes erupted near the border with India’s Manipur State starting around 8:30 am, and the fighting intensified again at about 10:00 am. Between 2:00 and 3:00 pm, the junta used both a Y-12 utility aircraft and a jet fighter to drop bombs. The Y-12, in particular, released a large number of bombs, and the jet carried out around six bombing runs. The fighting was very intense, and there’s a possibility that heavy clashes could break out again at any time,” said Salai Timmy, spokesperson for Chin National Organisation/Chin National Defence Force (CNO/CNDF).
The junta began its current offensive by sending two columns from Kale (Kalay) Town in southern Sagaing Region, and these troops entered Waibula, near the Sagaing border, on November 3.
About 500 junta troops arrived in Waibula, and around 300 of them then advanced along the Manipur border toward Falam Town.
The junta is using the towns of Tedim, Kale, and Waibula as operational command centers and has launched a fierce offensive from them, deploying hundreds of troops to retake northern Chin State areas currently controlled by Chin resistance forces.