Immediately after the outbreak of fighting in Arakan State, the military council closed off land and waterways, stopping the movement of trucks, passenger busses, boats and ships.
According to truck drivers, the restriction imposed by the junta on the morning of 13 Nov. has resulted in about 40 trucks from the mainland being stranded at Ann and Kazu Kaing checkpoints.
“Trucks arriving on the Arakan side are stuck where they are. We are stuck at Kazu Khaing checkpoint. Other checkpoints are also closed. No travel is possible at the moment because of the ongoing fighting,” said a truck driver traveling between Yangon and Sittwe.
In addition, the military council has also closed the entry and exit gates of Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Minbya, leaving highway busses, private vehicles and local passenger busses stranded on the road between Yangonand Sittwe, with thousands of passengers reportedly stuck.
A person in charge at Yoma Mandalar Gate said, “A bus is stuck in Ann. A passenger bus that left Sittwe this morning is stuck at Kyauktaw checkpoint. Many other trucks heading towards Sittwe are also stuck at other checkpoints and have to stop where they arrive. We don’t know when we will be able to drive again.”
Similarly, on the orders of the military council, trips on the river routes between Sittwe-Pauktaw-Minbya, Sittwe-Mrauk-U, Sittwe-Rathedaung-Maungdaw and to southern Arakan State have been canceled since the morning of 13 November, said a person in charge of the Shwe Pyi Tan express boat.
“They (the military council) called and told us that we are not allowed to run Shwe Pyi Tan. So we stopped our boat trips. We also informed the owners to pick up their goods that were to be shipped today,” he said.
As the waterway was closed by the military council, passenger boats traveling between Pauktaw and Sittwe had to turn back, boat operators said.
Locals fear that the closure of land and waterways in Arakan State will lead to food shortages and price hikes.
According to reports, panic buying of stable food items such as rice, cooking oil, salt, other consumer goods and medicines occurred in the markets in Sittwe this morning (13 November) due to concerns of a possible shortage.
“People have flocked to the Sittwe market to stock up on food. Prices are still normal now. I was there to buy rice but couldn’t because of the crowds,” said Daw Cho Cho, a resident of Sittwe.
Fighting between the military council and the AA in Rakhine State ceased on 26 November 2022, after both sides signed a ceasefire agreement.
This morning (13 November), the AA attacked the Chain Khar Lai and Done Paik border posts on the Angu Maw-Maungdaw road in Rathedaung Township. Fighting resumed after the attacks.
The Three Brothers Alliance, which includes the AA, has also declared that it will expand “Operation 1027” nationwide. Analysts expect fierce fighting between the military council and the AA in the Arakan State, with the areas of conflict possibly expanding.
Sent by DMG.
