Myanmar’s military has suffered setbacks in its latest bid to retake territory from the Arakan Army (AA), with frontline sources reporting heavy losses and retreats after the launch of Operation 4926 on 4 September. Troops advanced simultaneously on the borders of Ponnagyun and Sittwe townships in Rakhine State, as well as towards Sane from Kyaukphyu. Despite deploying airstrikes, artillery and drones, two columns were forced back with casualties, leaving only one still engaged near Warbo Island. Locals said the army abandoned bodies and wounded soldiers as it withdrew. In Kyaukphyu, regime forces advancing from Taung Maw Oo naval base were ambushed by the AA and retreated after three days of fighting. Analysts say the military’s inability to sustain counteroffensives highlights its weakening capacity. Meanwhile, residents report intensified airstrikes on Pauktaw Township, damaging pagodas, schools and homes, and forcing thousands to flee. Farmers say artillery fire has driven them from their fields. The regime has already lost control of 14 townships in Rakhine and Paletwa in Chin State. It is now attempting massed offensives across Kyaukphyu, Sittwe, Thandwe and Gwa, supported by naval shelling off the coast. Fighting has also escalated in Kachin State, where KIA‑led forces destroyed five regime vessels in Shwegu Township. Resistance drones struck gunboats and a barge carrying ammunition, while earlier attacks on a flotilla left nearly 200 soldiers and family members surrendering. Despite repeated defeats, the military continues to send convoys along the Irrawaddy River to resupply encircled bases in Bhamo. Reinforcements have triggered fierce clashes around Sinkhan Bridge, destroyed by airstrikes on Sunday. The regime’s reliance on massed assaults and risky supply lines underscores the scale of its struggle to regain territory, as resistance groups tighten their grip across Rakhine and northern Myanmar. -2026-09-10
