The Myanmar junta has intensified its defensive operations around Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, amid escalating clashes with the Arakan Army (AA), according to reports from The Irrawaddy and local sources.

Residents said the regime recently rebuilt the Min Chaung Bridge on the Sittwe–Ponnagyun road previously destroyed by its own forces in early 2024 and fortified several key positions along the route. Military units have reportedly set up bunkers and deployed artillery and drones near Ponnagyun Township, which remains under AA control.

Sources close to the Arakan Army said the group has conducted limited tactical withdrawals in parts of Ponnagyun in response to sustained junta shelling and heavy drone attacks. The restored bridge now serves as a crucial supply route for regime reinforcements and logistics, strengthening the junta’s defensive posture around Sittwe.

Analysts believe that rather than launching an offensive, the junta’s main objective is to hold Sittwe, where its Western Command headquarters and other key administrative offices are based. The command was shifted to Sittwe after the AA seized Ann Township earlier this year.

At present, the junta controls only three townships in Rakhine—Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung,while the AA has gained control of fourteen others. Following military losses in Kyaukphyu, regime forces began fortifying Sittwe’s outskirts in mid-2025.

In recent weeks, artillery exchanges and clashes have intensified along the Sittwe–Ponnagyun border. On October 15, the AA reported heavy fighting involving drones and shelling, resulting in civilian casualties and damage in Ponnagyun and nearby Pauktaw Township.

Inside Sittwe, junta troops and allied Arakan Liberation Party members have carried out door-to-door searches and arrests. Thousands of residents from around 20 nearby villages have reportedly been forcibly relocated, surrounding military bases with displaced civilians. This has led to severe shortages of food and essential supplies for those trapped in conflict zones.

With the Arakan Army now controlling most of Rakhine and parts of Chin State, tensions continue to rise as both sides prepare for what could become a decisive phase in the battle for western Myanmar.
 

BOB Post