In Sittwe, Rakhine State, where there is active conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and regime forces, a total of 10 people have escaped with firearms. This group includes 7 soldiers from the junta and 3 members of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP).
According to a source close to their families, they fled with arms while performing security duty in Shwe Min Gan, located on the outskirts of Sittwe, on January 12.
“Seven soldiers and three ALP members assigned to night security duty fled. They also took firearms. I do not know the precise quantity of weapons they took. They fled from their duty in Shwe Min Gan, located on the outskirts of Sittwe. They might have gone to the AA,” the source said.
Recently, several soldiers from the junta, mostly those who were drafted into the junta army, have been abandoning their posts due to fear of attacks from the AA.
On January 14, at approximately 10 pm, it was also reported that three soldiers from the 32nd Police Battalion had fled.
“A soldier came to investigate the site of the fire. The three soldiers did not show up. They belong to the 32nd Battalion. They fled the previous night. It seems they did not carry any weapons,” a resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated.
The AA has been targeting military bases near Sittwe and has taken control of some outposts, which has raised worries among families of the battalions located in Sittwe, as reports indicate that desertions are becoming increasingly common.
Efforts were made to reach ALP Chairperson Daw Saw Mya Ya Zar Lin by phone to verify the escape of the three ALP soldiers; however, she could not be reached.
Since late December 2025, conflicts between the military junta and the AA have intensified in Sittwe, with a number of members from the Military Commission continuously defecting.
On the evening of January 6, a source close to the military reported that 7 soldiers and 4 policemen from the Sittwe-based No. 36th Police Battalion had fled.
Moreover, on January 4, two members of the No. 36 Police Battalion escaped with their weapons, prompting a search operation, residents of Sittwe reported. The AA has taken control of two outposts close to the headquarters of the Sittwe Dakasa, Regional Operations Command (ROC).
