More than 300 vehicles including cargo trucks and buses traveling along the Yangon to Sittwe road are stuck due to fighting near Rar Maung Bridge in Minbya Township, locals said.

 

The highway has been blocked since February 14 as clashes broke out between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army.

 

Drivers said that the road was briefly reopened at around 10 a.m. on February 16 but closed again as hostilities flared anew.

 

“The vehicles were running on both sides of the road. But all had to stop going a while later because of the shooting,” said a driver who was stuck on the road.

 

Another driver, Ko Maung Than, said the roadblock was more than a minor inconvenience for many of those caught up in it, with an economic toll as well.

 

“People are traveling with their own schedules. Some people have to catch planes for their overseas trips. Now they are stuck here. Trucks also run according to schedules. If they don’t arrive at their targeted destination in time, it will be a big loss,” he said.

 

With traffic at a standstill for days, drivers and passengers caught up in the roadblock have required food and other provisions that residents of nearby villages have stepped up to provide for them.