Heavy fighting between Myanmar’s military junta and the Arakan Army (AA) has entered its second week along the Sittwe-Ponnagyun border, as regime forces deploy thousands of troops in a bid to break resistance defense lines, local military sources reported Tuesday.

Clashes have raged continuously since Sept. 4 across key village tracts, including Wahbo in Sittwe Township, as well as Aungzeya, Khamaungdaw, and Kuntaung in neighboring Ponnagyun Township. 

Local ground sources report daily close-quarters firefights accompanied by relentless artillery bombardments.

To support ground troops, junta naval vessels positioned off the coast have launched hundreds of heavy artillery shells targeting Mosel Island in Rathedaung Township and Hsandawshin Island in Werathani Township.

According to residents, regime forces dispatched five operational columns in an attempt to capture Ponnagyun Town, a key strategic gateway connecting state capital Sittwe to northern Rakhine State, including Rathedaung, Buthidaung, and Maungdaw townships. However, AA defense blockades have so far halted the junta’s advance.

“Ponnagyun holds critical strategic importance for the Arakan Army, which is why regime forces are mounting such violent offensives,” said a resident. “It serves as the primary gateway to northern Arakan State and a central trade hub.”

The push is part of "Operation 4926," a multi-front joint military operation the regime launched on Sept. 4 across Sittwe and Kyaukphyu townships, with simultaneous troop movements reported along the Ayeyarwaddy Region border. The escalating violence has forced thousands of civilians from surrounding villages to flee their homes.