Battle in Kyaukphyu, military junta is reinforcing junta troops

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The battle is intensifying in Kyaukphyu Township, Rakhine State, and the military junta is reinforcing hundreds of troops by sea and air, according to Kyaukphyu residents.

The military junta and the AA are also engaged in fierce battle near Thaing Chaung village, Min Pyin village, Yenan Taung village, and Gaw Du village in Kyaukphyu Township.

In recent days, the AA has attacked the Thaing Chaung Dam in Kyaukphyu Township, which is controlled by the military junta, and has also seized some camps in the vicinity.

Therefore, the military junta is reinforcing hundreds of troops by helicopters and ships from Yangon to Kyaukphyu, and is also continuously sending troops from Sittwe, according to Kyaukphyu residents.

“I heard that additional military junta troops have arrived in Kyaukphyu. Since the battle is intense in the Min Pyin area, they are mainly sending troops to that area. The junta troops are coming from Yangon and Sittwe. If they arrived these days, there will be around 300,” a Kyaukphyu resident told BBM.

The military junta is preparing to hold elections in Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Munaung townships in Rakhine State before December 28, and is also attacking villages in Kyaukphyu township that the AA has seized.

The military junta is said to have deployed troops from the 32nd Police Battalion at the Thit Poke Taung Naval Base (Dhanyawaddy Naval Headquarters) in Kyaukphyu township and is advancing near areas controlled by the AA.

“The military junta is advancing in several areas in Kyaukphyu, and there are sporadic clashes. The military junta may continue to press the attack until the end of this month,” said a local resident in Kyaukphyu.

There are currently resulting heavy casualties on military junta side in Kyaukphyu township, and the area near Thaing Chaung village, where the battle is intense, is being continuously bombed by aircrafts, and naval vessels are also firing heavy weapons.

In Kyaukphyu township, where the battle is intense, according to Kyaukphyu residents, more than 3,000 residents from nearly 20 villages have fled to safer places and are facing difficulties for livelihoods.