Myanmar junta claws back territory with air power and conscription

Rebel fighters in Myanmar have lost key towns, including Falam in Chin State, after months of air strikes and a ground assault. The military's use of conscription and support from China have bolstered its campaign. Opposition groups acknowledge the difficulty of holding territory against superior airpower but vow to continue resistance.

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The military's conscription drive has replenished its ranks with tens of thousands of new troops, while sustained aerial bombardment has killed hundreds of civilians. China's role has proven pivotal—brokering ceasefires with some ethnic armed groups while simultaneously restricting weapons flows to others, effectively isolating the resistance.

The rebellion emerged from the 2021 coup's crackdown on protesters, with young people forming the People's Defence Forces alongside long-established ethnic armed organizations, some of which have sought