SAC Recaptures Falam Town and Surbung Airport After Year-Long Resistance Hold — 500+ Military Casualties, Resistance Withdraws With 300+ Weapons

Myanmar's military junta recaptured Falam, the capital of Chin State, and its adjacent Surbung Airport on April 25–26, 2026, following some of the most intense fighting in Chin State since the 2021 coup. Resistance forces — primarily Chin Brotherhood Alliance units and the Chinland Council's Combined Defence Forces — had controlled Falam for approximately one year, making it one of the longest-held urban resistance positions in the entire civil war. The SAC recapture came after continuous heavy airstrikes until 10:30 PM on April 24, followed by ground advancement on April 25 morning through sustained combined-arms operations. SAC casualties were severe: resistance sources estimated over 500 military personnel killed or wounded during the campaign, including several officers — making the Falam recapture one of the costliest junta operations of 2026. Resistance casualties numbered approximately 50+. Crucially, resistance forces executed a disciplined tactical withdrawal rather than a rout, seizing more than 300 weapons from the battlefield before pulling back. The Sur Bun airfield and Var Bridge strategic access points — which the SAC struck in a massive ~10-jet assault on April 23 — were among the key objectives retaken. The Falam recapture represents a notable setback for the Chin resistance, which had demonstrated the capacity to hold a state capital, but also demonstrates that resistance forces maintain the ability to extract operational capacity even from strategic withdrawals. DVB reported the recapture on April 26, noting that the town had been under resistance control for nearly one year.