Myanmar junta airstrikes kill 11 civilians at Kyin Dway bridge in southern Chin State

Mizzima

A wave of aerial bombardments has left at least 11 civilians dead in Kyin Dway Town, Kanpetlet Township, as the military junta intensifies its campaign to regain control over southern Chin State.

According to the Chin People’s Union/Army (CPU/CPA), junta fighter jets conducted consecutive strikes on the Kyin Dway Bridge, a critical civilian trade route on 29 April and 30 April, 2026.

General Secretary Salai Yawnman confirmed that nine people, primarily local residents repairing the bridge, were killed in the initial attack on the morning of 29 April. A second strike on the same location the following afternoon claimed the lives of two additional men.

The CPU/CPA refuted claims from pro-junta sources suggesting the bridge were a military target, emphasizing that the victims were unarmed civilians engaged in essential infrastructure work. In addition to the human toll, the airstrikes destroyed heavy machinery, including a JCB earthmover, a vehicle, and four motorcycles.

Military observers suggest the attacks are part of a broader tactical shift by the junta to sever supply routes and isolate areas in the Chin and Yaw regions. This aerial escalation coincides with increased ground activity, including the reported junta capture of Falam town on 25 April and the deployment of approximately 200 troops from the 368th Artillery Regiment to nearby Kangyi village.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, the Chin People’s Union has issued an urgent advisory for residents to construct bomb shelters at their homes and workplaces, warning that airstrikes have become a primary threat to civilian life as the junta attempts to re-establish its foothold in liberated territories.