Efforts for Regaining Strategic Route: Efforts making to regain and reopen Kalay-Tamu route

The Tatmadaw is making efforts to regain control of and reopen the Kalay–Tamu route, which is an important trade corridor for border commerce between Myanmar and India.

The Kalay–Tamu route is a key overland transportation corridor connecting northwestern Myanmar with India. In addition to regional transportation, it plays an important role in border trade, socio-economic development, and international connectivity. However, since 2024, allied insurgent groups called themselves as PDFs have temporarily occupied and blockaded this strategically important route.

Along the route, they have reportedly committed acts such as extorting tolls from cargo trucks and passenger vehicles, threatening and coercing people with weapons, abducting and killing civilians, burning and destroying vehicles, and looting goods. Due to these blockades by the insurgent groups, local residents in the region have reportedly faced increasing difficulties in accessing healthcare services, disruptions to students’ education, and economic decline, causing the socio-economic conditions of local communities to deteriorate gradually.

Therefore, beginning on June 7, 2026, Tatmadaw columns launched coordinated clearance operations from both the Kalay and Tamu sides in an effort to regain and reopen the Kalay–Tamu route. The Tatmadaw column advancing from the Tamu side has reportedly reached areas near Yan Lin Phai village, while the column advancing from the Kalay side has reached areas near 55-Mile village. Operations to fully regain control of the Kalay–Tamu route are continuing, and it is reported that the route will soon be reopened under Tatmadaw control.

During these clearance operations along the route, Tatmadaw military forces reportedly discovered damaged roads and bridges, including the Nan Mwut Tar Bridge and the 55-Mile Bridge, destroyed by insurgent groups. They also found that within villages along the route, houses, religious buildings, and government offices had been fortified with defensive trenches and sandbag bunkers and used as military bases.

The Tatmadaw further stated that it would continue working, with the cooperation of local residents, to reopen and secure the Kalay–Tamu route as quickly as possible. It also said that counter-terrorism operations against insurgent groups undermining national development and the socio-economic well-being of local communities would continue. In addition, it’s stated that the Tatmadaw would carry out mine clearance operations along the route and repair and reconstruct damaged roads and bridges.