Hnin Nwe Ni —According to local residents, a local curfew has been reinstated under Section 144 in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, alongside a shoot-to-kill order amid escalating military tensions between the Arakan Army and the junta.
The renewed curfew, effective as of May 19, 2026, runs from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Residents report that authorities have issued a firing order for anyone found outdoors during these hours.
"A curfew was already in place earlier," a Sittwe resident told Narinjara. "But recently, they issued a firing order declaring that anyone going out will be shot. Notice of this has been posted in every ward."
A nighttime curfew has been in effect in Sittwe since November 13, 2023, following the start of conflict in the area. On February 1, 2024, the military had briefly revised the order to run from 9:00 PM to 4:00 AM as the situation appeared to stabilize.
Despite those earlier restrictions, some residents continued to be seen on the streets between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM.
In response, the new order issued on May 19, 2026, extended the curfew hours until 5:00 AM and included the mandate regarding the use of firearms for enforcement.
For a long time, the curfew was largely ignored. Residents regularly stayed out until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., and even thieves and drug addicts walked the streets at night.
Now, everything has changed under a strict new lockdown. Security forces have been issued a shoot-on-sight order for anyone found outside.
Following the implementation of the curfew and the lethal force order on May 19, the streets of Sittwe have been completely deserted after 8 p.m.
"Everyone is terrified of the new order," one resident said. "They already check guest lists at the beginning of each month, and now they have imposed this curfew. While daytime life in Sittwe appears normal, we can constantly hear the sound of artillery fire."
The military situation in Sittwe remains highly tense as clashes escalate between the Arakan Army and Junta forces, leaving the public in a state of constant anxiety over the renewed artillery bombardments.
