Junta soldiers from Ayeyarwady Region have raided at least 15 villages in Arakan State’s Manaung Township since the last week of July, according to residents.

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) said it rescued 13 junta soldiers including some critically injured at the Northeastern Command base in Lashio, northern Shan State, which the ethnic armed group recently overran.

Myanmar’s military regime has fortified Kyeintali Town in Arakan State’s Gwa Township to defend against attacks from the Arakkha Army (AA).

Civilian casualties were reported after a bomb dropped by a junta jet fighter exploded at a location between Mrauk-U Hotel and Nawarat Hotel in Mrauk-U’s Alezay Ward.

The clash between the military and AA followed after the ethnic armed group launched an offensive attack on a junta camp near Chinkwin Village, about 26 miles from Gwa, on Thursday.

The traditional weaving industry is among businesses plagued by the latest fighting in Arakan State. Large- and small-scale weaving business owners as well as those employed as weavers are struggling.

Hostilities have occurred in and around Maungdaw for months as the AA seeks to take control of the border town, and the ethnic armed group said in a statement on Friday that junta soldiers and armed Muslim militiamen have locked up villagers in Muslim villages to use as human shields.

DMG has learnt that at least four policemen have deserted from their positions in Made Island since the latest fighting, and some have surrendered to the AA.

“Now that there is some level of security assurance, all political prisoners have been returned to their homes and families since August 6,” the statement said.

Though the prison only has capacity to hold 1,000 prisoners, there are currently more than 1,200 inmates being kept in Sittwe Prison, according to sources.

The Arakkha Army (AA) said it is probing into the deaths of Muslims in Arakan State’s Maungdaw Township in response to allegations that those Muslims were killed by AA troops.

People and anti-regime groups marked the anniversary by organising anti-regime protests in Yangon, Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe regions.

The regime has detained at least seven police officers from a local police station on Made Island in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu Township, where China has significant interests.

The gunfire was reported near Natmaw and Zeekaing villages on the outskirts of Taungup Town, and locals are worried about their safety in the aftermath.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs, used to control HIV infection, could previously be bought either from the health department or from pharmacies, but since the regime blocked off the roads, the drugs have completely run out of stock in Arakan State.

The junta airstrikes, the first air assault in Gwa Township, killed the local woman and injured six people — four men and two women — from Kyaukkhaungkwin Village on the Thandwe-Kyeintali-Gwa road and another man from Cedikwin Village.

Driven by intense monsoon rains since late June, severe flooding has impacted more than 200,000 people in Myanmar, with many temporarily displaced, the statement said.

Thandwe residents who were attempting to return to Arakan State after fleeing the fighting to Ayeyarwady Region and Yangon were turned back, said a Thandwe woman taking shelter in Ayeyarwady Region.

“Rice plants are now covered in mud after the flood. Perhaps one-third of rice plants may survive if it rains. But they won’t if it does not rain,” said farmer U Maung Thein Aung from Maha Muni Village.