In under four months, the Arakan Army (AA) captured nine towns in southern Chin State and Rakhine, marking a major victory in the military assault. After a year-long a cease-fire the AA, which was founded in 2009 and is connected to the United League of Arakan, started fighting again in November 2022. The AA strengthens the opposition to the junta by working with other armed organizations around Myanmar in conjunction with Operation 1027.

Rapid advances by the AA have resulted in the capture of important towns including Mrauk-U, Ponnagyun, Pauktaw, Minbya, and Kyauktaw. Furthermore, the AA has taken over Taung Pyo Letwe and Ramree, however they are still in conflict over the neighboring townships. The battle has changed due to AA's acquisition of key military installations, such as Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 550 and Infantry Battalion (IB) 270.

The junta's struggle has gained enormous momentum as the AA has taken over 16 key bases and hundreds of outposts, severely damaging the dictatorship in the process. The AA has responded by destroying many junta navy combat boats, severely undermining the regime's authority, even as the junta has sent naval warships to shell civilian neighborhoods.

Along with gaining territory, the AA's attack exposed the internal military turmoil in Myanmar, sending nearly 700 men into India and 500 into Bangladesh. The ferocity of the struggle is demonstrated by the high-ranking officials who have been killed or captured by the AA during skirmishes, notably Colonel Min Min Tun and Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun.

May be an image of map and text that says "The AA has seized at least 16 major junta military bases in Rakhine and southern Chin State, including Military Operations Command and many Infantry and Light Infantry Battalions. Paletwa LIB 308 IB 289 Chin MOC Kyauktaw LIB 374, 375, Arakan Army IB-270 Ponnagyun Ponnagyun Sittwe 378, Mrauk U Minbya Magwe LIB 379, 380, 541 Auhlhl Bay of Bengal ※ Locations ofjunta military Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) and Infantry Battalions (IB) Military Operations Command (MOC) Artillery Battalion (AB)"
The military leadership of the junta has suffered severe losses at the hands of the Arakan Army (AA), with at least seven high-ranking officers slain and six more taken into custody during fighting. Colonel Min Min Tun of the 11th Light Infantry Division and Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, head of MOC 9, are two notable victims. Major Kyaw Thet Naing, Lieutenant Colonel Ye Htut Win, Colonel Myo Min Ko Ko, Lieutenant Colonel Phyo Thu Aung, and Major Saw Htwe were among the others whose deaths were verified by the AA. During its operations, the AA also seized a number of officers, including Major Thant Zin Tun and Lieutenant Colonel Nyi Nyi Win.
Over the course of the last four months, the military of the junta has been besieged by the Arakan Army (AA) of a large quantity of arms and ammunition, ranging from tiny caliber bullets to powerful rocket launchers and artillery rounds larger than 100 mm. During intense battle in Paletwa, the AA demonstrated its skills by successfully shooting down a military transport helicopter. Currently, the AA is stepping up its attempts to take over the northern part of Rakhine; fighting is said to be getting worse in Maungdaw, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Ramree, and Kyaukphyu. With 3.1 million people living there according to the 2014 census, Rakhine is in the midst of an emergency. As of March 4, the UNHCR had registered about 350,900 internally displaced people.

BOB Post