A submarine assumed to belong to the Myanmar military was spotted on Tuesday morning traversing the Thanzit River in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu Township, locals told DMG, amid rising military tensions in the region.

The submarine entered the military’s Thitpoketaung naval base, according to Ko Aung Naing Win, an eyewitness from Kyaukphyu town.

“The submarine crossed the Thanzit River and entered Thitpoketaung, where a Myanmar naval base is located,” he said.

Locals speculated that the submarine’s presence was a show of force at a time when relations between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army appear to be at an increasingly fraught juncture.

“This is like a military demonstration, as a submarine is moving along the Thanzit River in Kyaukphyu. Locals are worried about the possibility of fighting because there have been recent clashes between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army in Chin State’s Paletwa Township,” said Ko Min Zan Aung, a resident of Kyaukphyu town.

The military council has not yet commented on the reported presence of its submarine in Arakan State.

U Myo Min Tun, the Kyaukphyu Township administrator, said he had only read in the news that a Myanmar military submarine had been seen in the Thanzit River, and was still investigating whether those reports were true.