Although the Arakha Army (AA) has temporarily halted its offensives on the Sittwe battlefront, the military junta continues to conduct artillery shelling indiscriminately from its bases in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, according to ground sources.
On 15 May 2025, past 9 a.m., the Sittwe-based Infantry Battalion-20 reportedly fired artillery toward villages such as Aung Zeya and Sa Par Htar, located near the border between Sittwe and Ponnagyun Townships.
“This morning around 9:30 a.m., IB-20 and other units in Sittwe were firing artillery. They targeted Aung Zeya and villages along the township border. This has been happening frequently in recent days,” a ground source said.
Following the AA’s announcement of a temporary ceasefire due to an earthquake, fighting in Sittwe Township had stopped. However, since 9 May, artillery fire has resumed.
The junta has been targeting villages along the Ponnagyun-Sittwe border with heavy weapons and drones, with frequent attacks reported.
“This month, it’s not just heavy weapons; we’ve also seen the military council using drones often. Sometimes, they drop bombs with drones up to three times in a single day,” another ground source reported.
On 9 May, junta battalions in Kyar Ma Thauk and Par Da Leik villages in Sittwe fired artillery multiple times. Also, in recent days, the junta troops frequently have fired artillery from the Regional Operations Command, Shwe Min Gan, and Par Da Leik, according to reports.
While the AA has paused its offensives, the military junta’s continued use of heavy weapons and drones is undermining trust between the two sides and could lead to renewed large-scale conflict through civilian casualties, locals say.
“For the military council, Sittwe is the last stronghold in Arakan State. It seems they’re firing heavy weapons to prevent the AA from launching any offensives. Perhaps they’re preemptively intimidating because Sittwe is their final foothold. But shooting indiscriminately out of fear might provoke the AA to escalate their offensive,” an Arakanese military observer commented.
Since January 2025, the AA has been engaged in battles in Sittwe Township but ceased operations following the recent earthquake, halting its offensives.
Controlling nearly all of Arakan State, the AA has long blockaded Sittwe, where the junta’s Regional Operations Command is located.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG)