After recapturing towns in northern Chin State, the junta announced plans to rapidly rebuild hospitals, schools, administrative offices, and religious buildings that it had previously destroyed.
Building materials for reconstruction efforts have begun arriving in northern Chin State, with priority given to repairing hospitals and schools, according to coup leader Min Aung Hlaing, who made the remarks during a cabinet meeting on May 26.
Min Aung Hlaing also said that markets and office buildings destroyed by junta forces should be rebuilt, and instructed other state and regional administrations to assist in Chin State’s recovery efforts.
The junta delivered 10 tons of cement, 10 tons of metal roofing sheets, nails, household goods, kitchenware, hygiene products, and more than 3 tons of additional supplies from Mandalay and the capital Naypyidaw to Kale town in Sagaing Region on May 24 for the reconstruction of Falam, Tonzang, and Tedim towns in northern Chin State, according to regime-controlled state media.
The construction and relief materials were subsequently transported by vehicle from Kale and arrived in Falam town on the evening of May 26.
The junta claimed it is rebuilding three northern Chin State towns destroyed by Chin resistance groups, while in reality the damage was caused by its own airstrikes, artillery strikes, and drone attacks.
“We no longer live in an era where information is hidden as it was in the past. Today, we can follow what the U.S. president is doing in real time, even from remote areas. In such a world, the junta’s lies are meaningless. It has blamed Chin resistance forces for the destruction, but it cannot deceive the Chin people. These claims are simply a failed attempt to cover up its own war crimes. The people of Chin State know very well who is responsible,” a Chin State resident said.
The junta launched a nearly seven-month offensive involving thousands of troops to retake Falam town from resistance forces. During the operation, junta forces heavily bombarded not only military targets but also homes, hospitals, clinics, schools, religious buildings, and administrative offices using jet fighters, Y-12 aircraft, and artillery, causing widespread destruction, according to local residents and civil society organizations.
Tonzang was also subjected to a major assault by the junta and the Zomi Revolutionary Army–Eastern Command (ZRA-EC) alliance, accompanied by intense airstrikes and drone attacks that forced Chin resistance forces to retreat on May 19.
The full extent of damage to infrastructure in Falam, Tedim, and Tonzang towns remains unknown.
Salai Timmy, a spokesperson for the Chin National Organization/Chin National Defense Force (CNO/CNDF), said the destruction of key public facilities and infrastructure, including Falam General Hospital, was caused by the junta’s airstrikes using fighter jets and Y-12 utility aircraft that dropped thousands of bombs.
“While we were in control of Falam town, the hospital and schools were properly maintained. In both Falam and Tonzang, much of the damage was caused by the junta’s fighter jets and Y-12 aircraft. We did not cause any destruction,” he told Khonumthung News.
Chin resistance forces said they can present strong evidence that the junta carried out airstrikes that caused damage to lives and property.
Just as it extensively used airstrikes during operations to recapture towns in northern Chin State, the junta is also conducting near-daily airstrikes in its ongoing military campaigns in southern Chin State, causing widespread destruction and civilian casualties.
