The Arakan Army (AA) has launched a renewed and intensified offensive against the junta’s Shwe Mingan naval station and several nearby military outposts close to Zawmadat Village, just north of Sittwe, according to local residents and military sources.
The AA is reportedly encircling the Shwe Mingan naval base from both land and sea, marking a significant escalation in the battle for control of the area. In response, Myanmar’s military regime has mounted a strong counteroffensive, deploying heavy artillery support from ground forces and warships positioned along the Kaladan River.
“The Arakan Army is attacking from both land and water. The regime is retaliating with heavy weapons fire from the No. 12 Police Battalion and naval vessels in the Kaladan River,” said a source familiar with the situation on the ground. The clashes at the Shwe Mingan naval station are occurring just over a mile from central Sittwe.
Fighting in Sittwe Township has intensified sharply in recent days, with the frontlines shifting from the border areas of Ponnagyun Township to within roughly one mile of the Rakhine State capital.
After securing Wahbo Island — strategically located between Ponnagyun and Sittwe townships — the Arakan Army appears to be leveraging its position to target junta military camps and expand its territorial control.
Anticipating the AA’s advance, the military regime has reinforced its defensive lines along the Sittwe–Ponnagyun corridor. Reports indicate that additional troops, ammunition, and armored vehicles have been deployed to battalions stationed in Amyint Kyun and Pardaleik villages.
Residents in Sittwe report near-constant gunfire, both heavy and small arms. “We hear shooting from the direction of the Shwe Mingan naval station and the No. 12 Police Battalion every day,” said one local resident. “Most civilians have already fled the area. Inside the city, movement remains relatively normal, but we know fighting is ongoing.”
Although clashes in the region had previously subsided, hostilities resumed in late February and have since escalated.
For Myanmar’s military regime, retaining control of Sittwe is vital to maintaining its foothold in Rakhine State. For the Arakan Army — also known as the Arakkha Army — Sittwe represents the last major urban stronghold in northern Arakan State yet to fall under its control.
