The Arakan Army (AA) fighters reportedly killed over 30 Myanmar junta troops and seized weapons during a clash in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, according to AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha.
The fighting occurred on August 29, marking a significant escalation between the two sides, reports Narinjara.
“In the Sittwe clash, the junta suffered heavy casualties. They also retreated as we chased them. Our fighters seized more than 50 arms along with over 30 bodies. They later did not launch any offensive,” U Khaing Thukha confirmed.
The gunfight, which lasted over four hours, began when AA forces ambushed a junta column (a formation of soldiers marching together) conducting military operations near Min Hla village.
Following the retreat, junta forces resorted to firing artillery from a distance and refrained from launching further offensives in Sittwe.
Although this was the first major clash between AA and junta forces in Sittwe, fighting escalated in other areas too.
The following day, junta forces continued artillery shelling and airstrikes on Rathedaung, Ponnagyun, and Pauktaw townships.
A Sittwe resident confirmed that on August 30, junta forces indiscriminately fired artillery and conducted airstrikes in the area.
In response to fears of further AA attacks, the junta set up barbed wire fences along Sittwe's bypass roads and reinforced bunkers at key military locations, including the town’s airfield.