Arakan Army (AA) forces launched coordinated drone and artillery strikes against Myanmar junta reinforcements near the Nat Yay Kan strategic base in Magway Region on August 31, inflicting heavy casualties, according to local military sources.

The strategic base, situated on the Rakhine Yoma mountain range in Padan Township, remains surrounded by AA forces.

Multiple artillery shells exploded directly inside a junta column attempting to advance toward Nat Yay Kan near Pazhi village, injuring numerous soldiers and forcing the military to evacuate casualties by vehicle.

"The AA targeted them with drones and artillery, scoring direct hits on the column," a local military source told Narinjara News. "Wounded soldiers and bodies were transported back to Padan town. On the morning of August 31, supply trucks were repurposed to carry the casualties away."

A source close to the AA confirmed the evening ambush, noting that the AA relies heavily on drone surveillance along the strategic Ann-Padan road connecting Rakhine State and Magway Region to intercept troop movements.

"When movements are detected along the highway, the AA launches coordinated drone and heavy weapon strikes," the source explained.

Beyond drone and artillery bombardment, junta troops are suffering daily losses from close-range sniper attacks. Despite heavy casualties, desertions, and malaria outbreaks among newly conscripted soldiers, the military continues sending reinforcements to the area, including three trucks loaded with ammunition reported on September 1.

The junta has spent years attempting to break the siege on Nat Yay Kan using multiple columns, but AA resistance has halted their advance past the villages of Pazhi and Gok Gyi.

While a full-scale ground assault to capture the base has not yet materialized, both sides remain locked in intense artillery exchanges and drone warfare along the Rakhine-Magway border.