The Arakan Army (AA) and its allied forces have nearly encircled the junta’s strategic Nat Ye Kan mountain base along the Ann–Padan road in Ngape Township, Magway Region, effectively cutting off all communication and supply routes, according to military sources.
Following the seizure of Fighter Hill and the Goke Gyi outpost in early October, the AA has now blocked the line of communication (LOC) for Nat Ye Kan, a critical stronghold used by the junta to launch offensives toward the Padan front from the Rakhine Mountain Range, said Captain Zin Yaw, a member of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).
“The junta troops remain stationed at Nat Ye Kan, but most of the surrounding area is under the AA’s control. The main supply and administrative routes from Goke Gyi and Fighter Hill near Pazi have been sealed off. Since those positions were captured, the junta’s communication lines have been almost entirely severed,” Captain Zin Yaw told Mizzima.
Although some reports have claimed that the entire base has fallen, local sources said fighting was still ongoing as of this morning, with the junta resorting to airstrikes to defend the camp and attempt to recapture lost positions.
“The AA is extremely close to taking full control of Nat Ye Kan hill, but it hasn’t been confirmed yet. With supply routes blocked, the junta can only send rations and ammunition by air, and troops inside are reportedly running short on food,” a local military source said.
Nat Ye Kan, the largest defence outpost in the Rakhine Mountain Range, serves as a key strategic base for protecting Ka Pa Sa 14 factory, an important military production and munitions plant. The base is expected to fall soon, as junta forces from the crucial Fighter Hill outpost have reportedly fled in recent days, the source added.
Captain Zin Yaw said the junta is still attempting to reinforce its troops along the Ann–Padan road, noting that a convoy of 11 military vehicles arrived at Pyinwa junction in Ngape Township on the morning of 12 October.
“We saw 11 vehicles arrive this morning. It’s certain they can’t reach Nat Ye Kan by road anymore. Whether they’ll try to proceed on foot or attempt to block the route from Pyinwa is unclear,” he said.
Military observers noted that with all access routes now cut off, reaching Nat Ye Kan by land is impossible, leaving the junta reliant solely on airdrops to sustain its remaining troops.
Captain Zin Yaw added that if the AA captures the entire Nat Ye Kan base, it will cripple the junta’s military operations between Padan and Ann, potentially halt production at Ka Pa Sa 14, and weaken Artillery Operations Command Headquarters 905 and its subordinate units.
Mizzima attempted to contact AA spokesperson Khaing Thukha for comment on the situation but has not yet received a response.
The AA and its allied forces have been advancing in the area for nearly ten months, already capturing the MPT tower hill near Nat Ye Kan and several smaller outposts near Goke Gyi and Pazi villages.
The AA currently controls 15 towns across Rakhine State, as well as the Western Regional Military Command headquarters, and continues its advance toward the remaining coastal towns of Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung.
