Junta column heading toward Kyindwe suffers heavy casualties in resistance ambushes

By Admin 22 Oct 2026

DMG Newsroom

22 October 2026, Kanpetlet, Chin State

A military junta column of around 500 troops advancing toward Kyindwe Town in Kanpetlet Township, Chin State, has suffered heavy casualties in ambushes by resistance forces, according to military sources.

The column, which departed from Laungshae Town in Saw Township, Magway Region, reached positions near Maw Creek and Hlaingdot Village, about eight miles from Kyindwe, where it encountered fierce ambushes by the Chin People’s Army (CPA) and allied resistance forces.

Intense clashes continue near Hlaingdot Village, where junta troops have been pinned down and sustained heavy casualties, a military source said.

“Although the junta column has reached the vicinity of Maw Creek and Hlaingdot Village, allied resistance forces have effectively blocked their advance,” a military source said. “Junta forces have suffered significant casualties and are advancing slowly while relying heavily on close air support. The column, which initially launched the offensive with 500 troops, has now been reduced to around 300 effective personnel.”

Junta troops launched the offensive on September 26 from Weapons Factory No. 25 in Laungshae Town with approximately 500 personnel. Resistance forces estimate that nearly 200 junta soldiers have been killed or wounded since the operation began.

The junta is deploying four major military columns in an offensive targeting several locations in southern Chin State, including Mindat, Kanpetlet, Kyindwe and Shwe Aung Thar Village, according to Salai Yaw Mang, general secretary of the CPA, in a social media post.

Military analysts in Chin State view the offensive as a strategic effort to project military power toward Arakan State and threaten the Arakan Army (AA).

“The deployment of nearly 3,000 troops in repeated offensives across southern Chin State demonstrates how vital this region is to the regime,” a Chin military analyst said. “This effort extends beyond Chin State alone. By attempting to establish a direct military threat against Arakan State, the junta’s offensive presents a significant strategic challenge to the Arakan Army.”

The junta has used Saw Township as a staging ground for its fourth major offensive aimed at capturing towns in southern Chin State, deploying thousands of troops in the area.

The CPA said resistance forces continue to hold their defensive positions, with fighting ongoing near Kyindwe and Shwe Aung Thar Village.

Kanpetlet Township borders Paletwa Township, which is controlled by the Arakan Army. Junta forces have continued offensive operations from Saw Township into southern Chin State since May 2026.