Residents in Thandwe Township, Arakan State, are in a state of panic following days of continuous airstrikes and naval bombardments by the Myanmar military junta.
Local sources reported that junta warships deployed along the Thandwe coastline fired heavy artillery directly into surrounding coastal villages on September 7.
"When fishermen go out to sea, warships harass their boats and shell them. On top of that, jet fighters are bombing residential neighborhoods. The regime bombed us again yesterday, and people are terrified," a Thandwe resident said.
On the morning of September 7, junta jet fighters launched two separate airstrikes targeting Thandwe Town, Kyaukkyi Village, and the Ngapali Beach area. The bombing of Thandwe Town killed an elderly woman instantly and injured three other civilians.
The combined air and naval assault has forced residents from at least five coastal villages to abandon their homes.
"Panicked households are fleeing to safer locations. While not every village has been completely evacuated, residents from about four or five coastal communities—including Kyaukkyi, which was struck in earlier attacks—are fleeing," another resident explained.
Displaced civilians urgently require emergency humanitarian assistance.
The United League of Arakan (ULA) is currently delivering initial food aid to those affected.
Meanwhile, those remaining in Thandwe face severe livelihood disruption and acute food shortages, as ongoing military threats prevent locals from working or fishing.
Military analysts assess that the junta is combining army, navy, and air assets to launch new counter-offensives and regain control of lost territory in southern Arakan State.
"The regime is trying to incrementally reclaim towns in southern Arakan State, particularly near Gwa," said Captain Zin Yaw, a military defector. "They are attempting to stretch Arakan Army (AA) forces across multiple fronts by mounting a feint from Sittwe while simultaneously pushing toward Rathedaung. They are testing defenses on both fronts to gain a foothold wherever possible."
Heavy fighting continues to rage between the military junta and the Arakan Army in Sittwe and Kyaukphyu townships.
At the same time, the regime relies heavily on naval and air power to penetrate AA-controlled areas in the south.
As junta offensives expand across Arakan State alongside escalated artillery shelling and airstrikes, civilian casualties continue to mount.
