Moreh, Aug 5, 2026: Fear and uncertainty continue to grip the strategic border town of Khampat after Myanmar military junta forces recaptured the vital India-Myanmar corridor in late July, ending over two years of control by resistance forces aligned with the National Unity Government.
According to Chin World and local sources, the junta has deployed civil servants to reopen schools, hospitals and departmental offices to project normalcy. However, residents say the town remains largely deserted. Only a few government staff and a handful of townspeople have returned so far, while the vast majority of displaced families from Khampat, Kanan and adjoining villages including Sawbwaryaeshin, Hpetyaryaeshin and Kyuntawyaeshin remain in hiding.
A local resident told Chin World, the people do not dare to go back because they fear fighting could erupt again at any moment. The concern is shared widely among displaced Kuki families in the Khampat-Tamu belt, who have close kinship and cultural ties across the border in Manipur. For them, returning without a security guarantee could mean being trapped between two armed forces.
The recapture follows a massive two-month dual-pronged offensive launched by the junta on June 7 from both Tamu and Kale. Backed by heavy artillery and airstrikes, junta columns forced resistance forces to withdraw from Khampat Town, Kanan Village and surrounding areas along the Kale-Tamu Highway, a lifeline connecting Myanmar to India that is crucial for trade and movement.
The offensive has worsened the humanitarian crisis. Earlier in June, reports said junta troops looted civilian belongings after taking control of Khampat, while the sabotage of the Mansaung Bridge over the Manipur River near the India border disrupted supply routes and drove up prices of essential commodities. With the resistance expected to regroup and the junta determined to hold the corridor, locals fear Khampat could again become a flashpoint, leaving returning civilians at high risk.
Till now, there is no independent confirmation of safety for returnees, and humanitarian access remains restricted in the area.
This is a developing story. Further updates will follow.
