Residents face security risks along Ponnagyun-Rathedaung route amid ongoing fighting

By Admin 12 Sep 2026

DMG Newsroom

12 September 2026, Ponnagyun

Ongoing battles along the Sittwe-Ponnagyun border have left residents from Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Rathedaung, and border villages near Ponnagyun facing severe security risks while travelling to Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, and Minbya townships.

Local residents rely on land and waterway routes passing through Ponnagyun Town to transport essential commodities and access healthcare services in Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U for their daily needs.

Heightened security concerns have caused significant travel delays, forcing passenger buses and motorboats to operate cautiously depending on the latest military developments.

“Some people continue to travel despite the active fighting. Routes passing near Thinpongtaung Island run very close to where combat is occurring, meaning artillery shells could land on those roads at any moment,” said a driver from Kyauktaw.

Travellers along the Rathedaung-Ponnagyun road face heightened risks due to heavy artillery strikes and airstrikes conducted by the military junta in active combat zones.

Despite the life-threatening risks, locals continue to travel to Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U to secure food supplies and seek medical treatment.

“Locals are still moving back and forth, though vehicles are not running in large numbers like before. People travel with extreme caution to buy goods. We hear the sound of heavy fighting every day, including right now,” said a local resident from Nartaungkya Village in Ponnagyun Township.

On September 7, an artillery shell fired by military junta forces struck Phetkya Village along the Ponnagyun-Rathedaung road.

Additionally, a military junta drone attack targeted Kyaukseik Village along the Ponnagyun-Kyauktaw Road on September 11, killing a displaced woman.

Although travel to Kyauktaw Town remains possible for now, local residents fear severe secondary impacts if escalating combat forces a complete shutdown of transportation routes.

“We heard gunshots while travelling along the route. Boats are still running normally for now, but we do not know what will happen if fighting intensifies further. People are anxious, yet they have no choice but to keep moving,” a local man from Buthidaung Township explained.

Residents across Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and the Rathedaung-Ponnagyun border areas depend heavily on Kyauktaw Town for food supplies and essential medical services.

Clashes between the military junta and the Arakan Army have raged along the Sittwe-Ponnagyun border since September 4, with both sides continuing to exchange heavy artillery fire.