Regime reinforces increasingly tenuous hold on Thandwe

By Admin 13 Jul 2024

DMG Newsroom
13 July 2024, Thandwe

With the fall of Ngapali Town to the Arakkha Army (AA), Myanmar’s military regime has brought in reinforcements from its army and navy forces based in Ayeyarwady Region to defend neighbouring Thandwe Town, according to residents.

Twenty trucks loaded with junta soldiers from Ayeyarwady Region arrived in Thandwe via the Gwa-Ngathainggyaung road on Friday. The regime also transported reinforcements to the Maung Shwe Lay naval base by sea.

“The regime has also made a stand at Thandwe Prison with artillery. I saw many soldiers in the town yesterday,” a source told DMG.

Junta troops are also deployed on multi-story buildings in Thandwe Town. Junta troops deployed at Thandwe Prison and Maung Shwe Lay naval base have been conducting indiscriminate artillery barrages.

Hundreds of residents are still trapped in Thandwe as the regime has barred them from leaving the town.

“The regime will not give up Thandwe easily. They bar the people from leaving the town because they want to use them as human shields to defend against attacks,” said a Thandwe resident who has fled the town.

A man in his 30s from No. 2 Ward in Thandwe Town was killed during a junta air raid at around 10 a.m. on Saturday, according to residents.

A woman who remains in Thandwe said: “The regime is carrying out bombing raids every day. I dare not go out, so I don’t know which places were hit. I don’t want to stay in the town. I live in constant fear that my house will be hit sooner or later.”

The AA has overtaken Light Infantry Battalion Nos. 566 and 55, and Thandwe Airport, in Thandwe Township.