Junta soldiers surrender in Taungup

By Admin 14 Dec 2024

DMG Newsroom
14 December 2024, Taungup

Fierce fighting continues in Taungup Township as the Arakkha Army (AA) is focused on capturing the Myanmar regime's No. 5 Military Operations Command (MOC), the last-standing of the three MOCs based in Arakan State.

Junta troops have abandoned Light Infantry Battalion headquarters 544 and 346 to join their peers at the No. 5 MOC headquarters, and some junta soldiers surrendered on Friday due to the AA's onslaught, a source familiar with the matter told DMG.

"The AA is yet to defeat the No. 5 MOC. However, some junta soldiers surrendered during the fighting. I still don't know their exact numbers. I heard officers were among those who surrendered. The fighting was still fierce this morning," said the source.

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Arakan State military council spokesman U Hla Thein.

Pro-junta social media accounts reported on Friday that fierce fighting broke out on Friday morning after the AA attacked staff quarters and outposts of Light Infantry Battalion 544 and a signals unit and outposts.

The fighting saw civilian houses in Taungup Town and near junta positions destroyed or damaged by junta artillery strikes.

At least eight houses were burnt down by a junta airstrike in Taungup Township's Kanpaing Village on December 9. A church and 15 houses were destroyed in a junta air raid on December 4.

One Taungup resident said: "The regime carried out air attacks, burning houses and markets. Communications are down and we can't contact family members."

The AA captured Taungup Town on November 24, and is now focused on seizing the entire township.

The AA has seized 11 of 17 townships in Arakan State plus Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State. Clashes are ongoing in Ann, Taungup and Gwa townships, with the regime now only exercising full control over Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung towns.