The under-construction Manipur River Bridge, located in the Mansoung area of Tedim Township in Chin State and situated on the route connecting Tedim Town to Rikhawdar Town in Falam Township, near the India–Myanmar border, was destroyed in an explosion carried out by an unknown group.

“The explosion was extremely loud, and its force could be felt even in our village. The metal roofs of some nearby huts were blown off. Although the entire bridge did not collapse, its pillars and foundations were severely damaged,” said a resident of nearby Lamzang Village.

Near the bridge, villagers found pieces of wire believed to have been used in the sabotage. Shortly after the explosion, some locals reportedly heard a motorbike speeding away from the area toward Laitui Village in Tedim Township.

“What we can say for certain is that this explosion was not carried out by the junta. There were no junta columns operating in the area at the time. The section of the bridge that was targeted was a pillar close to residential houses. At this stage, we do not yet know which organization was responsible,” a local told Chin World.

The Zomi Youth Association–Lamzang (ZYA-Lamzang), based in Lamzang Village—the nearest settlement to the bridge—called for the protection of the Mansoung Manipur River Bridge, as it is the only remaining intact bridge in the area.

The Chinland Defence Force–Hualngoram (CDF-Hualngoram), which controls the border trading town of Rikhawdar, announced on May 21 that traffic on the Laitui–Rikhawdar Road would be limited to 9:00–10:00 a.m. and 5:00–9:00 p.m., citing security concerns. However, on June 2, it restored normal passage.

The original Mansoung suspension bridge was destroyed in a bombing carried out by junta troops on June 8, 2024. Since then, local communities have funded temporary repairs to keep it in use.