Arakan Army Attacks to Capture Sittwe

The Arakan Army (AA) is conducting attacks to capture Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, and residents report that the fighting is becoming increasingly fierce.

Clashes between the AA and the military council forces began yesterday after 6 PM and lasted until after 9 PM. The military council conducted airstrikes using jet fighters for over an hour, according to a Sittwe news source.

“Last night’s battle was extremely intense. The AA heavily targeted the military council troops on High Island with heavy weapons. The military council forces retaliated. Explosions could be heard from Sittwe city. The fighting started after 6 PM and lasted until around 9 PM,” the source explained.

Another Sittwe resident reported that the military council conducted airstrikes around High Island near Sittwe and the Thayetkon village area in Pauktaw Township, dropping numerous bombs.

“High Island and Paletwa areas have become daily battlefields. The military council is resisting the AA’s offensive with heavy airstrikes. Yesterday, they bombed areas near Sittwe city and Thayetkon in Pauktaw, which was visible from Sittwe. The sounds of explosions and fires were deafening, but the extent of damage is unknown,” the resident said.

The AA’s offensive Attacks to Capture Sittwe, which began on the night of February 7, has intensified day by day. The AA is relentlessly targeting military council troops with heavy artillery and sniper fire.

A Sittwe resident close to military circles stated that due to the AA’s swift offensives, hundreds of military council troops have been killed or injured, and the 100-bed military hospital is full of casualties.

“The 100-bed military hospital is reportedly full of casualties. There are also fatalities due to the AA’s attacks. High Island and Paletwa areas are the most affected. The fighting is expected to intensify further. Locals must remain extremely cautious, prepare for evacuation, and be vigilant against artillery and airstrikes,” the resident said.

To prevent easy access to Sittwe by land, the AA destroyed the Minchaung Bridge near High Island village on the Yangon-Sittwe road, which was used by the military council’s Paletwa artillery regiment in February 2024.

The military council has fortified Sittwe with sandbag bunkers and mined the surrounding areas. Barbed wire has also been set up along scenic roads around the city.

The AA, in collaboration with local People’s Defense Forces (PDFs), is attacking military council camps in regions bordering Magway, Bago, and Ayeyarwady, while simultaneously focusing on the battle to capture Sittwe.

Additionally, the AA and allied forces have reportedly seized four military council camps, including a key command post, in Magway and Bago regions bordering the Rakhine Yoma mountain range in recent days.

On February 16, the AA and allied PDFs captured three military council camps—Mat Hton, Upper Ton Gyi, and Lower Ton Gyi—in Ngape Township, Magway Region, according to a local military source from the Ann area.

“On February 16, AA and PDF joint forces simultaneously attacked and captured Mat Hton, Upper Ton Gyi, and Lower Ton Gyi camps along the Padan-Ann road in Magway Region. These camps were part of a major military council command post,” the source said.

The command post is near the Nyaung Chay Tha strategic area, and retreating military council troops reportedly withdrew toward Nyaung Chay Tha.

Furthermore, the AA and allied forces recently captured the Pan Kat Kyaw camp on the Pyay-Taungup road in Bago Region.

Sources report that the AA seized significant weapons and ammunition during these battles, inflicting heavy losses on the military council.

The military council has been deploying reinforcements, including weapons and ammunition, from Defense Industry Factory No. 6 near Pyay, and conducting airstrikes in the Pan Kat Kyaw camp area.

The AA and allied forces have also captured the Ma Gyi Zin area in Ayeyarwady Region and are continuing their offensive against Artillery Battalion No. 344 near Nga Thaing Chaung town, according to locals.

During the battle to capture the Kan Myat Kan camp on the Padan-Ann road in Magway Region, the AA captured alive Deputy Colonel Kyaw Kyaw Thaik, a tactical commander under the military council’s Light Infantry Division 99.

After capturing several military council camps on the Rakhine Yoma, including Moe Htee Mountain, the AA, in collaboration with local PDFs, is now targeting military council camps in Magway, Bago, and Ayeyarwady regions bordering the Rakhine Yoma.

Source: Western News