Fighting between the Arakkha Army (AA) and the junta’s Border Guard Police Battalion No. 5 around Maungdaw Town, along the Bangladesh border, has reached new heights in recent days, according to local sources.

The border guard police battalion is the last regime unit standing in Maungdaw Town.The AA has been fighting the battalion for months and the Myanmar military has been conducting frequent air raids since Sunday, with the AA responding with artillery attacks, said the source.

“The fighting has further intensified. Both sides might have suffered casualties. They fought the whole night [on Monday]. The regime carried out air raids the whole night. A junta jet dropped two bombs in each air attack,” he said.

The regime reportedly carried out nearly 20 air raids around the Border Guard Police Battalion No. 5 on Tuesday morning. Junta warships also provided artillery support, according to sources.

“The AA has barred local villagers in nearby villages from travelling for security reasons. The regime used fighter jets and Y-12 warplanes to conduct air raids throughout the night,” said a Maungdaw resident.

Many residents of nearby villages and Maungdaw Town residents taking refuge in those villages have fled the fighting.

The AA has seized all other positions previously held by the junta in Maungdaw Township. It announced on September 27 that it would intensify its assault on Border Guard Police Battalion No. 5.