Clashes have intensified over a military outpost just 3 km from the Myanmar military’s Danyawaddy naval base in Rakhine State’s Kyaukphyu Township.
The military regime has set up a dozen outposts around the naval base, one of which—in Katthabyay village—the ethnic Arakan Army (AA) has been attacking since early this month, according to locals. “Clashes have continued for six consecutive days near the naval base,” said a Kyaukphyu resident. “The Myanmar military is attacking with a lot of drones.”
The outpost is the key junta position guarding the naval base, and its fall could trigger the collapse of other positions and expose the base, a frontline source close to the AA said. The AA has already seized control of the road linking Kyaukphyu town with Danyawaddy, occupying three junta positions along the road. Having captured 14 of Rakhine’s 17 townships, the AA has been closing in on several junta positions in Kyaukphyu. Observers speculated that it had so far spared the area because it is the putative home of a Chinese-financed special economic zone, deep-sea port project, and oil and gas pipelines supplying Yunnan Province.
Clashes have also been reported at No. 32 Police Battalion and junta positions guarding a Chinese-backed gas-fired power plant and an onshore gas terminal. “Fighting has been fierce in all three locations,” said the source. “The regime has carried out very few airstrikes but is attacking with drones daily. I heard that many new drones have arrived along with drone operators trained by China.
The drone attacks have reportedly inflicted civilian casualties, but some junta soldiers have also been killed or wounded by friendly fire, sources said. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports. Over 40,000 residents from over 40 villages have been displaced by the fighting and the regime’s arbitrary bombardments of villages in recent months.
In Rakhine, only three towns—including the state capital of Sittwe and Manaung—remain under junta control. Fighting has also been reported in Sittwe. The AA also has expanded operations in neighboring Magwe, Bago, and Ayeyarwady Regions, taking control of more areas from the regime.