Residents in Arakan (Rakhine) State reported a recent escalation in naval activity by the junta, with warships increasingly operating along the waters near Ramree and Taungup townships—areas currently under the control of the Arakan Army (AA).
According to local sources, the warships have been moving close to shorelines and firing artillery along their routes, creating fear and disruption among coastal communities.
On April 21 and 22, junta naval vessels were seen operating near Kaleintaung Island and Phaungkhar Island in Taungup Township, where they also carried out artillery strikes, locals said.
“Because junta warships are constantly moving around, fishermen traveling from Ramree toward Kaleintaung Island have completely stopped going out to sea. Even before the shelling started, there was already fear because naval vessels would inspect fishermen whenever they encountered them. Now that they’ve begun firing, everyone from Kyauknimaw Village has had to stop fishing entirely,” A fisherman from Ramree said.
The movement and firing of warships between Saku Island in Ramree Township and Taungup Township has also triggered displacement, with nearly 100 residents from Kaleintaung and Phaungkhar islands fleeing toward Taungup for safety.
With most territory in Arakan State now outside its control and ground offensives proving ineffective, the junta has increasingly depended on air and naval power for its operations.
Analysts observed that although airstrikes have produced some gains for the junta, the seaborne operations are likely to run into major constraints and practical difficulties.
“From what we can observe, the naval forces are mainly composed of destroyers and frigates. These kinds of ships are effective in offshore operations, but they aren’t suitable for landing assaults. To actually reach the shore, the navy would need proper landing craft. Since southern Arakan State is a coastal region and the regime has already lost control over most of it, it no longer has the capacity to launch effective ground operations. At this point, it is basically striking from wherever it can use naval and air power,” said Captain Zin Yaw, a former junta officer who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)—where civil servants and security personnel refuse to work for the regime.
At present, the junta is carrying out operations through three separate military commands in an attempt to retake lost areas in Arakan State, stepping up airstrikes while also appearing to prepare for a larger-scale naval operation.
These coordinated attacks across land, air, and sea follow a statement from the AA commander-in-chief, in which he vowed to bring all of Arakan State under full control before 2027.
