The Arakan Army (AA) has expanded its military operations beyond its home state of Rakhine, capturing a key junta defensive position in Ngape Township, Magwe Region, over the weekend. The assault reportedly left over 60 junta soldier’s dead, with several others captured, as the AA continues its rapid territorial gains.

According to sources on the ground, junta reinforcements from the 99th Light Infantry Division (LID) had arrived last Wednesday in 28 military trucks to fortify Gote-see-yoe village on the Ann-Padan road near the Rakhine-Magwe border. However, AA forces launched an offensive on Friday, successfully overrunning the position and seizing a large cache of weapons and ammunition.
Following the attack, junta troops retreated to a hill northeast of the village on Saturday. However, the latest developments in the ongoing battle remain unclear.

Resistance Forces Escalate Attacks
Local resistance groups have reportedly joined the fight, launching attacks on junta reinforcements along the Ann-Padan road in Ngape Township. These groups are also blocking and ambushing retreating regime forces as the AA intensifies its border offensive.
Magwe Region is home to more than a dozen of the Myanmar military’s key ordnance factories, known as KaPaSa. Among them, KaPaSa 14, which specializes in missile production and electronic printed circuit boards (PCBs), is located in Ngape town. Six additional KaPaSa factories are situated on the west bank of the n Irrawaddy River.
Junta Faces Heavy Casualties and Desertions

Since December 6, junta troops from the 99th LID have been deployed to Magwe in an effort to defend Myanmar’s Western Command in Ann Township, which sits on the Rakhine-Magwe border. However, the military has suffered heavy casualties, with reports indicating that of the 1,300 soldiers dispatched, only around 700 remain, as many have been killed, surrendered, or fled.

AA Expands Its Offensive
Since launching a major anti-regime offensive in November 2023, the Arakan Army has captured 14 of Rakhine State’s 17 townships, as well as Paletwa Township in neighboring Chin State. The AA has also been making swift advances in Bago, Magwe, and Ayeyarwady regions, marking a significant escalation in the conflict against the military junta.

As fighting continues to escalate, the junta struggles to maintain its grip on key strategic regions, with resistance forces gaining momentum across multiple fronts.
 

BOB Post