Junta launches heavy airstrikes after Arakan Army seizes outpost near strategic Nat Yay Kan base

By Admin 06 Mar 2026

DMG Newsroom

6 March 2026, Ngaphe, Magway Region

Myanmar’s military regime has launched intense airstrikes in Ngaphe Township on the Magway–Arakan border after the Arakan Army (AA) and its allied forces captured a key forward outpost of the Nat Yay Kan tactical hilltop base, according to military sources.

The Arakan Army reportedly seized the forward position on March 2. In response, the regime has carried out heavy bombardment around the tactical base using jet fighters. On March 3 alone, about 20 airstrikes were reported in the area.

“The Arakan Army captured prisoners of war (POWs) and a significant haul of assorted weapons and ammunition. Meanwhile, the regime continues to carry out persistent aerial attacks around the Nat Yay Kan base,” a military source told DMG.

Following the fall of the outpost, the Padan-based Artillery Battalion No. 905 has reportedly been attempting to reinforce the Nat Yay Kan base via the old Ann–Padan Road, leading to ongoing clashes along the route.

The Nat Yay Kan tactical hilltop base has been under prolonged siege by the Arakan Army and its allies. Junta soldiers stationed at the base are reportedly facing severe shortages of reinforcements, ammunition, and food supplies due to the blockade.

Military analysts suggest that rather than launching a direct assault on the main Nat Yay Kan base, the Arakan Army and allied forces are employing a “block-and-sever” strategy by capturing surrounding outposts to cut off all supply lines.

“The outpost that was recently captured served as a crucial exit point and the sole escape route for the soldiers inside the main base. The regime is now desperately deploying reinforcements to protect this strategic location,” said a source familiar with the ground situation.

The Nat Yay Kan base is considered highly important to the regime, serving as a national-level air defense station. For revolutionary forces, the base also holds significant strategic value, as its capture could enable them to threaten military-owned weapons factories (KaPaSa) in Magway Region.

To prevent the fall of the Nat Yay Kan base, the regime has mobilized combined forces from Light Infantry Divisions (LIDs) 11 and 99, as well as Military Operations Commands (MOCs) 10, 14, and 17, to resist the offensive by the Arakan Army and its allied forces.