Clashes flare as Myanmar military attempts to break AA blockade in Kyaukphyu

Fighting intensified in Rakhine State’s Kyaukphyu Township over the weekend as junta forces launched offensives near a strategic naval base, according to residents and local media. Clashes erupted on Sunday near the Taung Maw Oo naval base, located between the township’s two main towns of Kyaukphyu and Sane, after junta troops attempted to break an Arakan Army (AA) blockade of the base, residents said. “It seemed like they were testing an offensive against AA positions,” one resident said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons. “Then they retreated, but drone bombings could still be heard.” The renewed fighting underscores escalating tensions in Kyaukphyu, a strategically important coastal township that hosts a deep-sea port and several Chinese investment projects. Arakan Princess Media, a news outlet affiliated with the AA, reported that the military sent about 300 reinforcements to the Taung Maw Oo and Dhanyawadi naval bases on May 4 and had increased troop deployments across Kyaukphyu Township in recent weeks. The regime has not publicly commented on the reported clashes. Residents said junta troops have expanded their presence at multiple locations across the township, including strategic junctions and hill positions. One local resident said the military may be attempting to launch operations toward Sane, a town currently under AA control. “I heard they retreated for now, but people in Sane are worried that troops could enter the town,” the resident told Myanmar Now. The AA has steadily expanded its territorial gains in Rakhine State since launching a major offensive against the regime in late 2023, seizing 14 of the state’s 17 townships. While the junta still holds the town of Kyaukphyu, the rest of the township is now largely under AA control. The group has also engaged in heavy fighting along Rakhine State’s borders with Magway, Bago, and Ayeyarwady regions, and recently joined allied forces in an attack on a military convoy in Sagaing Region’s Katha Township, according to local reports. Kyaukphyu residents displaced in the third week of November 2025 (Photo: Triple-T) The conflict has displaced tens of thousands of civilians in Kyaukphyu Township since clashes began there in November 2025. Aid groups have warned of worsening humanitarian conditions, including shortages of food, clean water, and clothing for displaced families sheltering across nearly 70 villages. The junta has intensified airstrikes on AA-held territory this year, according to local residents and AA statements. On May 7, an airstrike reportedly killed three civilians—including a child and a prison medic—and injured about 10 others in Minbya and Kyauktaw townships. The AA has pledged to seize all of Rakhine State. Only the capital Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung Township remain under junta control. Military analysts said the latest clashes could signal a broader escalation as both sides intensify operations across western Myanmar. “The front lines in Sittwe and Kyaukphyu are very tense,” said Rakhine author and political observer Wai Hin Aung. “The military is attempting amphibious offensives while the AA is expanding operations outside Rakhine as well. This is one of the highest levels of military tension we’ve seen.” The junta, which seized power in a 2021 military coup, has invited ethnic armed organisations to peace talks scheduled between April 21 and July 31. But observers say ongoing airstrikes and civilian casualties have undermined trust in the process. “If you are inviting people for peace talks, trust must come first,” Wai Hin Aung said. “As long as civilians are being killed in airstrikes, it is very difficult to build that trust.”

Clashes flare as Myanmar military attempts to break AA blockade in Kyaukphyu

The move was seen as a test of the AA’s strength in the township, where it controls most areas outside of the main town

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