CHIN STATE — On May 19, 2026, the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) and the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) recaptured Tonzang, a strategically vital town located on the Tedim-Kale trade route, from Chin ethnic armed organizations (EAOs).
In April 2026, Myanmar government forces recaptured Falam, the second most important town in Chin State. These operations followed a broader offensive launched in early 2026, after the Tatmadaw had controlled only a few urban centers in Chin State—including its capital, Hakha—since the 2021 outbreak of civil war. That year, Chin EAOs, together with the Arakan Army, seized most of the state.
The Tatmadaw’s resurgence has relied on its arsenal of manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), conscription of new troops, and reduced Chinese support for several ethnic armed groups. The military has prioritized the recapture of urban centers and strategic territories, concentrating air and artillery power to achieve these objectives.
Tonzang lies on a critical trade route near the India-Myanmar border. Regaining control allows the Tatmadaw to disrupt the logistics of Chin EAOs, who have used India’s Mizoram State as a rear base and supply corridor. The military’s broader aim in Chin State includes establishing control over the India-Myanmar border and tightening its blockade on the Arakan Army in Rakhine State.
The Tatmadaw has enforced a blockade on Rakhine State since November 2023 using the “four cuts” strategy—aimed at severing an enemy’s access to funding, food, intelligence, and recruits. By expanding control over Chin State, the military seeks to further isolate the Arakan Army, which has sustained its economy through illicit trade via Chin State and across borders with India and Bangladesh.
Chin EAOs currently control much of Chin State but face internal divisions rooted in political, geographical, and tribal rivalries. They also lack comparable air and air defense capabilities to the Tatmadaw, placing them at a tactical disadvantage. The intensification of fighting in the region is likely to displace additional civilians.