Families of junta soldiers, along with some female personnel from within and around the Directorate of Defence Industries 16 (KaPaSa 16) in Padaung Township, Bago Region, have been relocated as the Arakan Army (AA) and allied forces move to within roughly three miles of the facility. The relocations to the Southern Region Military Command headquarters in Taungoo Township reportedly began on May 14. KaPaSa 16 is part of the junta’s network of arms-producing factories.

The move followed an AA-led resistance offensive that began on May 4, when its forces attacked and encircled Point-500 hilltop camp—an outer defensive outpost of KaPaSa 16. According to AA frontline sources, the situation pushed the junta to start planning evacuations in advance as conditions on the ground continued to deteriorate.

“After Point-500 camp—the defence outpost for KaPaSa 16—was encircled, evacuations of soldiers’ family members and some female soldiers to the Southern Region Military Command began. The focus has been mainly on relocating officers’ families, as well as children and women. Given the bitter experience in Arakan (Rakhine) State, where failing to move families out in advance during fighting led to an entire battalion surrendering, the junta is now preparing the evacuation ahead of time,” a source told DMG.

While Point-500 has been under siege, heavy clashes have also been reported around nearby Nyaungkyoe Village.

KaPaSa 16 is believed to primarily manufacture gunpowder and is considered a critical component of the junta’s weapons supply chain. Due to its importance, defensive structures inside the compound have reportedly been reinforced.

Military observers said that in similar battlefield situations, the junta usually prioritizes sending reinforcements instead of evacuating families. They argued that the current move could suggest it is struggling to mobilize additional forces.

“The evacuation of officers’ and troops’ family members from KaPaSa 16 must be due to something serious. Normally, the junta would send in reinforcements to strengthen defenses rather than evacuating families like this. Right now, both its offensive and defensive operations are stalled around Point-506 camp, while it still holds two other positions at Point-363 and Point-288. I think the junta is moving families out because it can no longer bring in reinforcements,” said Captain Zin Yaw, a former junta officer who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)—where civil servants and security personnel refuse to work for the coup regime.

According to the AA, junta forces on the Padaung front are currently resisting the advance of the AA-led coalition by deploying battalions under Military Operations Commands (MOC) 10 and 17.

The AA and allied forces have already seized several junta positions in the area, including Moehti, Nyaungkyoe, and Point-666 camps in Padaung Township. These gains have brought KaPaSa 16 and KaPaSa 6 under increasing threat, as both facilities are located within the same township.

KaPaSa 5, KaPaSa 6, KaPaSa 9, and KaPaSa 16 are all situated within the Ottshipin military station area in western Bago Region’s Padaung Township. Military analysts said the junta is likely to mount strong resistance to defend these strategically important weapons factories as frontline pressure continues to escalate.