A fleet of roughly seven Myanmar Navy warships conducted unannounced live-fire exercises on August 20 near West Phayongka (also known as Santawshin) Island in Pauktaw Township, Arakan (Rakhine) State, triggering widespread panic among local fishing communities.

Witnesses reported seeing the naval vessels—deployed from Sittwe and the Thit Puk Taung Naval Headquarters in Kyaukphyu—firing live rounds into open waters near Santawshin Pagoda.

The military regime issued no prior public warning before initiating the maneuvers.

"Locals are deeply worried by the live-fire drills," a resident told Narinjara. "Most people across the three Phayongka islands rely on fishing for their livelihoods, and they were terrified when the warships entered their fishing grounds and opened fire."

The exercise reflects a broader escalation of naval operations along strategic waterways connecting Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, Myebon, Ann, and Maungdaw, where the junta is locked in intense conflict with the Arakan Army (AA).

Locals noted that warships routinely anchor at river mouths after dark to control coastal access.

In response, the United League of Arakan (ULA), the political wing of the AA, has urged civilian boat operators and fishermen to exercise extreme caution.

Local sources further allege that junta vessels have routinely intruded into civilian transport channels, opening fire indiscriminately and seizing both fishing and passenger boats.

Tensions remain high across Sittwe and Kyaukphyu as the Myanmar military bolsters its coastal defenses against a potential large-scale offensive by the Arakan Army.