In Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan (Rakhine) State, fierce battles have flared as the junta carried out coordinated offensives with army, naval, and air forces, pushing the Arakan Army (AA) to retreat from some of its previously held areas.
Although the AA had earlier advanced to about 7 miles from Kyaukphyu Town to seize more territory, sources familiar with the situation told DMG that by the end of September, it had to retreat as far as 13 miles from the town.
“Around Thaingchaung Village, near the Thitpottaung junction where the AA once had security outposts, the junta has moved in and stationed its troops. Regime troops have also been heavily deployed in Kalarbar and Thaingchaung villages,” said a local source familiar with the conflict situation in Kyaukphyu Township.
The AA had previously maintained positions at Malakyun Village, roughly 7 miles from Kyaukphyu, as well as positions close to the junta’s Police Battalion 32 base, located just over 4 miles from the town. It has now withdrawn from areas including villages of Pyinshwe, Kalarbar, and Thaingchaung.
The junta has reportedly reinforced its forces in Kyaukphyu Township with the aim of retaking territories it has lost, deploying additional troops and engaging in intense combat. In addition to ground forces, it has also carried out airstrikes, bombing attacks using sophisticated drones, and artillery shelling from naval vessels.
“The junta attacked AA forces very fiercely, sending newly recruited conscripts to die just to capture a hill or a village. In the Kyaukphyu clashes, the junta may have already lost hundreds of troops, most of them new conscripts forcibly sent into the fighting,” said an AA source familiar with the situation.
Since the second week of October, no major ground clashes have occurred, but artillery bombardments have continued near Kalarbar and Gawtu villages, with naval artillery also targeting civilian areas.
“The junta has the advantage of being able to send endless reinforcements by sea. Kyaukphyu also has Chinese-backed infrastructure projects, and their presence restricts the AA’s military operations. These give the junta a major edge, so the battle for Kyaukphyu could drag on longer,” said a young Kyaukphyu resident.
Previously, the AA attempted to seize Police Battalion 32 at the town entrance in early June. However, the junta’s heavy counterattacks using all its naval and aerial might, combined with reinforcements, forced the AA to retreat.
Observers suggested the current AA withdrawal could be based on strategic decisions, allowing it to regroup and implement new tactics.
“Kyaukphyu’s full of Chinese projects, so it’s really important for both the junta and the AA. That’s likely why the AA stepped back for now, to rethink its strategy,” said a local military analyst.
DMG has contacted U Khaing Thu Kha, spokesperson for the AA, for comment on the situation, but has not received a response.
““At first, the AA’s offensive in Kyaukphyu looked really strong, but later it lost momentum. It’s kind of like they’re taking turns advancing and retreating. But on other fronts, the AA already has a clear upper hand, its military capability has even surpassed the junta’s,” said Captain Zin Yaw, a former junta officer who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), an anti-coup campaign in which civil servants and security personnel refuse to work for the coup regime.
“The Chinese projects there are really important. The AA has to avoid clashes near these zones, which is necessary, but it also limits their operations and creates obstacles for their military plans. At the same time, the junta seems to be using the Chinese projects as cover, which makes things even harder for the AA,” he added.
Kyaukphyu Township hosts major Chinese projects, including oil and gas pipelines, the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (Kyaukphyu SEZ), and linked rail and road networks. The junta benefits financially from the area and maintains close ties with the Chinese government.
On 19 October, the AA warned that the junta is steadily increasing its military presence in Kyaukphyu, sending reinforcements via maritime routes and preparing to retake towns that were previously under AA control.
Throughout the conflict, the AA has taken control of 14 townships in Arakan State, plus Paletwa Township in Chin State. Meanwhile, the junta now controls only Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung townships in Arakan State.
