The ethnic Chin Brotherhood on Monday finally took full control of the strategically important administrative town of Falam in their home state after a five-month siege.
The alliance defeated the junta’s last remaining hilltop position in Falam, Infantry Battalion 268, on Monday morning, according to a source on the ground.
“The alliance is currently clearing the town, and junta aircraft are still coming in for reconnaissance,” he told The Irrawaddy. “We can’t reveal more details for now.”
The alliance consists of the Zomi Federal Union, Chin National Organization, Mindat Chin National Council, Maraland and Kampelet Chin Defense Forces (CDF), and Matupi CDF Brigade 1.
They started besieging Falam in November last year, blockading supply routes to the town, but the regime launched massive airstrikes to defend it.
Falam is Chin State’s second city after Hakha and strategically located on the route between the regime’s Regional Operations Command in Sagaing Region’s Kale to the north and its operations command in Hakha to the south.
The Regional Operations Command is the second biggest military base overseen by Northwestern Command. “The seizure of Falam means Kale has been cut off from Hakha on the overland route, so that threatens both positions,” said former captain Zin Yaw, a defector from the military.
The alliance launched Operation Chin Brotherhood on Nov. 9 last year with simultaneous attacks on Mindat and Falam. By December, it announced that it had seized 90 percent of both towns including hilltop posts, government offices, and police stations. It finally took full control of Mindat on Dec. 22.
Earlier the alliance also seized Kanpetlet and Matupi.
