Fierce fighting has intensified in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady Region as the Arakan Army (AA) and its allied forces continue their advance eastward from neighboring Rakhine State. Clashes are now occurring almost daily along the border between Yegyi and Thabaung townships, where junta forces have established defensive positions at the foothills of the Rakhine Yoma mountain range.
“Battles are taking place every day, and they are all intense,” a source from Yegyi Township said. “The military continues to send reinforcements. In some villages, residents have been forced to leave their homes while artillery units have been deployed in their place.”
According to local residents, the military has strengthened its defenses around several villages along the Yegyi–Thabaung border, positioning artillery batteries at key locations. Reinforcements, including troops and military vehicles, are reportedly being dispatched from the Western Command headquarters in Pathein and Infantry Battalion 36 based in Kyonpyaw.
“The military keeps sending reinforcements,” a resident of Thabaung Township said. “Military trucks packed with soldiers and weapons arrive continuously. Recently, I have seen as many as ten trucks entering the area in a single day.”
The junta’s current defensive buildup follows its withdrawal from a hilltop outpost at Warhtawkwin, which was captured by the AA on June 20. Sources close to the armed group said that more than a dozen junta soldiers were killed during the battle, while AA forces seized weapons, military equipment, generators, and Starlink communication devices.
The AA’s offensive in Ayeyarwady has gained momentum since early June, when the group overran a series of military positions near Artillery Battalion 344 in Yegyi Township. Reports indicate that junta forces gradually abandoned several outposts around the battalion before consolidating their defenses closer to the Yegyi–Thabaung border.
Since the fall of the hilltop position, fighting has become increasingly intense. Local resistance groups claim that many of the soldiers deployed to the Ayeyarwady frontlines are newly conscripted recruits with limited combat experience.
AA-led forces have been attacking positions surrounding Artillery Battalion 344 since May. So far, they are reported to have captured at least six military outposts and continue operations against positions located within two kilometers of the battalion headquarters.
Meanwhile, along the Pathein River, the junta has increased naval deployments to secure its supply routes. Residents report a growing military presence on the river amid allegations of extortion targeting passenger boats and cargo vessels.
“There used to be only a few naval boats operating here,” said a resident of Lemyethna Township. “Now they are stationed along much of the river.”
The AA currently controls 14 of Rakhine State’s 17 townships, as well as Paletwa Township in neighboring Chin State. The group is also maintaining pressure on the state capital, Sittwe, and the strategically important port city of Kyaukphyu, where major Chinese-backed infrastructure projects are located.
At the same time, the AA has expanded operations into Ayeyarwady, Magway, and Bago regions in coordination with local People’s Defense Forces (PDFs). Analysts believe the objective of these offensives is to prevent the military from regrouping and launching counteroffensives against AA-controlled territory in Rakhine State.
Unable to reverse battlefield losses on the ground, the junta has increasingly relied on airpower, carrying out frequent aerial attacks across Rakhine State. Many of these strikes have reportedly hit civilian areas, resulting in rising casualties.
In Ayeyarwady Region, the conflict remains concentrated in the townships of Lemyethna, Yegyi, and Thabaung along the Rakhine border. The fighting has displaced thousands of civilians since last year, creating an increasingly severe humanitarian situation across the region.
