Regime tightens security along Ayeyarwady-Arakan border

By Admin 26 Jun 2024

DMG Newsroom
26 June 2024, Sittwe

Myanmar’s military regime has imposed tighter security checks in villages and at checkpoints along the border of Arakan State and Ayeyarwady Region following clashes in Arakan State’s Thandwe and Taungup townships, sources told DMG.

More junta troops have been deployed at the checkpoints on the border of Gwa Township and Ayeyarwady Region, on the Gwa-Ngathainggyaung road, and in Ngathainggyaung Town, Ayeyarwady Region.

“Junta soldiers have tightened checks at checkpoints. They now take nearly an hour to check a person, especially those holding citizenship ID cards indicating that they are from Arakan State,” said one Ngathaingchaung resident. “They ask about your occupation, where and why you are travelling. Even if you have complete documents, they will ask you to wait for nothing. Things have become worse lately.” 

Tight checks are causing travel delays, especially affecting patients who travel for health emergencies. 

One Gwa resident said: “Though I’ve done nothing wrong, I don’t feel safe because of the tight checks. The travel time has increased threefold now.”

The regime is also checking households against their household registration certificates as well as checking for unregistered guests in villages in Ayeyarwady Region’s Ngathainggyaung, Thabaung, Lay Myat Hnar and Yekyi townships bordering Arakan State. 

The regime has also reinforced its troops in Gwa, Thandwe and Taungup townships with soldiers from Ayeyarwady Region, where the armed resistance against the regime is much weaker compared with Arakan State. 

“The regime has also sent reinforcements to Gwa,” said another Gwa resident. “I have often seen junta vehicles carrying reinforcements to Taungup and Thandwe lately.” 

The regime has prepared a defence at its Light Infantry Battalion Nos. 562 and 563 in Gwa, reinforcing troops and deploying more weapons. It has also planted landmines and dug trenches near the base’s fenceline. 

The AA has meanwhile launched an onslaught on Thandwe Town, where the regime has mounted a heavy defence using warplanes and warships. 

One military analyst said: “The regime has tightened security at the border as the AA and People’s Defense Force (PDF) troops can enter Arakan State via Ayeyarwady Region.”

Since the latest round of fighting began in November, the AA has seized Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Myebon, Rathedaung, Buthidaung and Ramree townships in Arakan State plus Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State. 

The AA has announced that it intends to seize control of the whole of Arakan State. It is currently attacking junta positions in Maungdaw, Ann, Thandwe, Taungup and Kyaukphyu townships, and military tensions are running high in Gwa, Manaung and Sittwe.