The junta has stepped up naval operations in recent days, mounting an attempted amphibious offensive near Sanae town and surrounding areas in Arakan (Rakhine) State’s Kyaukphyu Township, where the Arakan Army (AA) currently maintains control.

On the morning of May 10, around 7:00 a.m., several naval landing craft advanced toward Awataung on the bank of the Thanzit River, on the Sanae side, and attempted to put troops ashore. The move immediately triggered armed clashes with AA forces already deployed in the area.

“Regime troops were brought in by naval landing craft from the Taungmawgyi naval outpost in an attempt to land at Awataung. That move sparked intense fighting with the AA,” a local said.

AA forces reportedly blocked the landing before the troops could reach shore, forcing the vessels to withdraw back into the Thanzit River. Later that same day, around 5:00 p.m., the junta also carried out drone strikes in and around Sanae town, further escalating tensions in the area.

The Taungmawgyi naval outpost, which operates under the junta’s Danyawadi Naval Base, is located roughly 17 miles south of Kyaukphyu town. Sanae town itself lies just over 5 miles from that outpost, making it a strategically close target for naval movement.

Meanwhile, heavy ground clashes continue to intensify near Thaingchaung and Zaichaung villages, about 10 miles south of Kyaukphyu town. Military observers noted that these simultaneous battles are likely driving the junta’s attempt to open a seaborne front toward Sanae using its naval assets.

“I think the junta is trying to land troops near Sanae Town to put pressure on AA forces from two sides during the fighting in Kyaukphyu. Since Kyaukphyu Township is surrounded by sea, if the regime soldiers manage a landing near Sanae, it could potentially cut off AA troops on the frontline,” a Kyaukphyu resident familiar with the situation told DMG.

Other local assessments suggest the operation may also be a diversionary tactic. Following heavy losses in ongoing clashes in Kyaukphyu Township, the junta may be attempting to open a secondary front near Sanae to force the AA to redeploy its forces, Kyaukphyu residents said.

The situation has already had a direct impact on civilians. Due to repeated drone strikes and attempted landings, residents and internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering in Sanae and nearby villages are reportedly fleeing toward safer areas.

Within Kyaukphyu Township, the AA has retaken several positions it had previously withdrawn from, while the junta continues reinforcing its remaining battalions and defensive lines.

Earlier, on April 10, AA commander-in-chief Major General Twan Mrat Naing stated that the final phase of fighting would end in decisive victory, adding that the AA would control the entirety of Arakan State before the end of 2027.

Since that declaration, the junta has significantly increased military preparations and troop reinforcements across Kyaukphyu Township, indicating an expectation of intensified and prolonged fighting ahead, locals said.