Arakan Army, allies attack Myanmar military in regions bordering Rakhine State

Having captured most of Rakhine State’s townships from the Myanmar military since late 2023, the Arakan Army (AA) has now advanced into the three neighbouring regions of Bago, Pathein, and Ayeyarwady. The AA released a statement on February 27 detailing their capture of junta camps in the Arakan Hills (also called the Rakhine Yoma), with assistance from allied resistance groups. In the statement, they confirmed that they had seized junta camps in Bago Region’s Padaung Township, Ayeyarwady Region’s Pathein Township, and Magway Region’s Ngape Township.As fighting intensifies on roads running through these hills to Myanmar’s central plains, military analysts have observed that the clashes appear to be aimed at cutting off the military regime’s vital communication and supply lines.A resistance group allied with the AA, the Student Armed Force (SAF), received military training from the AA before joining in its field operations, helping to seize control of the military Western Regional Military Command headquarters in the town of Ann, Rakhine State. “When discussing the offensives in the plains, there are three regions bordering Rakhine State, which serve as the military focal points,” SAF commander Min Latt Okkar said. “Of these, we are involved in two.”The SAF is currently engaged in clashes on the Ann-Padan and Taungup-Pyay roads, which connect Rakhine State to Bago and Magway regions, respectively. The third route where clashes have broken out is the Gwa-Ngathaingchaung road, which links Rakhine State’s southernmost town with Ayeyarwady Region. The AA and its allies have initiated assaults on the Nat Yae Kan Air Defence Base in Ngape Township, Magway Region some 19 miles west of Padan on the Magway-Rakhine border.The AA released a statement last month confirming there had been clashes with troops from the junta’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 419 and LIB 14 from in Goke See Yo village on the Ann-Padan road. Within a month, the AA-led forces took control of several junta base camps along the road and are now again concentrating their forces on assaulting the Nat Yae Kan air base. Despite the junta’s efforts to secure positions on the Ann-Padan road, some regime troops have deserted the base camps or surrendered, according to anti-junta fighters. The People’s Independence Organisation (PIO) and its armed wing, the People’s Independence Army (PIA), have also formed an alliance with the AA. “Clashes occur daily along the Ann-Padan and Pathein-Monywa roads,” said Moe Lay La, a PIO/PIA leader. “On the Nat Yae Kan side, there have been reports of troops withdrawing or abandoning their positions in the security camps.”Anti-junta forces have also advanced into Bago Region on the Taungup-Pyay road, capturing two junta base camps and moving to capture more.At the same time, anti-junta forces have been moving into Ayeyarwady Region via the Bay of Bengal and Gwa-Ngathaingchaung road since January, seizing junta bases in the townships of Pathein, Ngathaingchaung, Yegyi, and Thabaung. After capturing villages near the town of Shwethaungyan in Pathein Township, they say they are now engaged in ongoing attacks on junta camps in Ngathaingchaung and Thabaung townships. A member of the People’s Defence Forces (PDF) in Ayeyarwady Region, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the AA and its allies were maintaining an effective blockade around the Artillery Battalion 344 base between Thabaung and Yegyi, and that they had succeeded in intercepting reinforcements sent to the area from Ngathaingchaung. “They are putting up a fierce fight to defend the Artillery Battalion 344 base while allied forces are capturing nearby security camps,” he said. “The situation has escalated, as the enemy has deployed airstrikes, paratroopers, drones, and helicopters to protect the base.”The three regions targeted by the AA and its allies house vital armaments factories operated by the military-owned Directorate of Defence Industries (DI), commonly known by the Burmese acronym “Ka Pa Sa.”Extending the offensive beyond Rakhine State into these regions threatens the armaments factories and may further weaken the military regime, which is already struggling to maintain order and economic stability while weathering international sanctions and fighting anti-junta forces on multiple fronts.

Arakan Army, allies attack Myanmar military in regions bordering Rakhine State

The powerful Rakhine armed group has extended its offensive into three regions in Myanmar’s heartland, attacking bases and routes used for supplies and reinforcements

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