Thinzar Nwe — Intense clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and the military are happening near the Dhanyawady Naval Headquarters in Kyaukphyu, the largest naval installation on the Rakhine coast.
The military is zealously using ground, naval, and aerial units to keep the fighting away from the naval base.
A military source said, "The battle is fierce with ongoing drone activity and machine gun firing. The situation on the ground remains unclear."
Gunfire from the ongoing clashes can be heard near the naval base, but it remains uncertain if the AA is launching an offensive to seize the Danyawaddy naval headquarters.
A local woman informed Narinjara that the sounds of machine guns and heavy artillery are more prominent than before, and the noises from aircraft dropping bombs and naval gunfire are particularly alarming for those in the vicinity.
"We heard it throughout the night from January 26 into the afternoon of January 27. We could hear it from the area south of Thit Poke Taung, where the navy is positioned. We heard it all morning today. The shooting continues. The sounds from the navy are like several shells being fired simultaneously," she mentioned.
A local observer tracking the military situation in Kyaukphyu noted that gunfire is audible from numerous locations, with the navy stationed offshore at Sai Kron Dwein also continuously firing heavy artillery.
"There are clashes near the Dayawaddy Naval Headquarters. The fighting is fierce. Besides the naval base, we also hear heavy gunfire around Doma Taung, Kulaba, and Thaing Chaung. There is close-quarters fighting," he reported.
The junta air force is continuously bombing villages unrelated to the combat, given the intense fighting near major military bases of the ruling military commission.
A resident shared, "Today, some villages in the Thit Poke Taung and Zin Chaung village tract, including Wa Taw village across from Kulaba, are being targeted by the navy, drones, and Y-12 aircraft."
The navy is shelling both civilian areas and villages under military control. They are also conducting bombings in the Wa Taw region with Y-12s. Bombing is still ongoing, so we are uncertain about any potential casualties," he added.
The Arakan Army (AA) has reported that four civilians lost their lives and nine were injured in a week from January 18 to 24 due to the military junta's repeated air attacks and drone strikes on areas hosting displaced individuals in Kyaukphyu Township.
