Junta, AA clash in Chinese-invested Kyaukphyu and Ramree townships

By Admin 08 Jan 2024

DMG Newsroom
8 January 2024, Kyaukphyu

Junta troops and the Arakan Army (AA) clashed in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu and Ramree townships, site of the China-backed Shwe gas project and Special Economic Zone.

The AA used homemade rockets to attack Danyawaddy naval base in Kyaukphyu at around 7 a.m. Monday morning, and junta warships fired back.

“The AA fired at least four rockets into the naval base around 7 a.m. Then warships in the river fired around eight shells. The shelling stopped after 8 a.m.,” said a local.

Artillery shells fired by junta warships hit hills near Simaw and Shaukchaung villages. It was not immediately clear if the naval base had sustained any damage from the AA’s attack.

Junta troops and the AA clashed from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Ramree town on Sunday. The fighting broke out as the regime shipped weapons and food supplies to its troops in Ramree, according to the Brotherhood Alliance.

“The fighting was fierce after 6 p.m. There was sporadic shooting until 10 p.m. I heard two artillery strikes this morning,” said a Ramree resident.

The regime might be mounting a strong defence in Ramree and Kyaukphyu to protect China’s interests as well as its own, said residents.

Mediated by China, the regime and the Brotherhood Alliance met twice in December. But the fighting goes on.

“The regime might heavily defend those projects. However, I don’t think they are strong enough to do so. They might carry out air attacks on towns that they have lost control of,” said a Kyaukphyu resident.

Ramree is located some 50 miles from Kyaukphyu, and 237 acres are earmarked on Ramree Island and 370 acres are earmarked on Maday Island in Kyaukphyu for the deep seaport and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) projects.

The regime and China’s CITIC on December 26 signed a concession agreement for the Kyaukphyu deep seaport. The port has 10 berths and can handle 7 million 20-ft containers annually, according to  the junta’s commerce minister U Aung Naing Oo.