AA ambush kills 30 junta troops in Rakhine

AA

Junta forces suffered heavy losses in Rakhine State over the weekend after walking into a deadly ambush by the Arakan Army (AA). Local military sources reported that around 30 soldiers were killed when resistance fighters struck near Minpyin village in Kyaukphyu Township, a hotspot for Chinese-backed infrastructure projects.

The clash followed the regime’s recapture of Thaing Chaung Taung base earlier this month. Believing the area secure, junta troops advanced into Minpyin, only to be met with mines and gunfire. “They thought it was clear, but we hit them hard,” a source close to the AA told The Irrawaddy. The fighters opened fire as soldiers posed for a group photo, leaving dozens dead or wounded.

The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the casualty figures, but reports from the ground describe intense fighting, with junta forces deploying airstrikes and drones. The village lies just five kilometres from the radar station at Thaing Chaung Taung, underscoring the strategic importance of the area.

Elsewhere in Kyaukphyu, the regime has reinforced naval and police bases, bringing in up to 1,000 conscripts this month. Aid workers say the offensives have displaced hundreds of families, with food shortages worsening as the military blocks supplies and isolates villages. “Airstrikes are constant, and the navy fires almost daily. The most urgent need is food,” one volunteer said.

Despite the reinforcements, the AA continues to hold coastal villages near key installations, including the PowerChina gas-fired power plant and onshore gas terminal. Local sources claim China has provided drones and technical support to the junta, though this remains unverified.

Kyaukphyu, home to three infantry battalions, a police battalion and three naval bases, has become a focal point of the conflict. With fighting intensifying and civilians caught in the middle, the township illustrates the growing human toll of Myanmar’s war — where strategic projects, foreign interests and local resistance collide.

-2025-11-18