Regime reopens Minbya’s Kyetsin Bridge to traffic

By DMG 10 Dec 2022

DMG Newsroom
10 December 2022, Minbya

Kyetsin Bridge on the Minbya-Myebon road, which was blocked off by the regime amid renewed hostilities between the military and Arakan Army (AA), was reopened to traffic on Saturday morning, according to local residents and bus drivers.

Junta soldiers remain posted at Kyetsin Bridge, but they are allowing travellers and vehicles to pass the bridge without security checks, said a bus driver plying a route between Myebon, Minbya and Mrauk-U.

“We had suspended operations for nearly two months, but resumed operations following the military’s reopening of Kyetsin Bridge this morning,” he added. “Junta soldiers will no longer interrogate vehicle drivers and passengers, and there will be no restrictions on the carrying of goods. Vehicles and passengers can travel freely as before, but there are still junta soldiers at the bridge. I think they [junta soldiers] are planning to retreat from the bridge. In any case, the reopening of the road will be convenient for our livelihood.”

The Minbya-Myebon road, which is crucial for the delivery of supplies to Myebon, was blockaded for nearly two months, since October 17. The road was blocked off at Kyetsin Bridge, on the border of Minbya and Myebon townships.

The military council has reopened some land and water routes in Arakan State during the current cessation of hostilities, but there is concern that there will be more roadblocks if fighting resumes, said a resident of Minbya Township.

“Local people in Minbya Township faced livelihood hardships and health problems due to the military’s closure of the Kyetsin Bridge,” the resident explained. “People from Myebon Township also faced difficulties in travelling to Sittwe. The road will be closed if the fighting resumes. Locals want the armed groups to find a solution without fighting. If not, the locals will have to face these kinds of difficulties again.”

The two sides reached their truce on November 26.

Myanmar’s military regime has since lifted travel restrictions on the Sittwe-Maungdaw-Angumaw road, Minbya-Myebon road, Ponnagyun-Sittwe road and water routes in northern Arakan State.

The Ponnagyun-Rathedaung road remains blockaded nearly two weeks after the truce was reached, and there are also restrictions on the transportation of food on some of the roads that have been reopened, according to local residents.