Fighting between Arakan Army and military spreads to Sittwe

Residents in the Arakan State capital of Sittwe told DVB that sporadic fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and the military has occurred in villages around the Regional Operations Command headquarters in Sittwe Township since Monday. The military is defending Sittwe as it has yet to lose control of a state or region capital to resistance forces.

Residents reported that the No. 12 Police Battalion opened fire with artillery in retaliation to gunfire from the AA. “Everything is normal in the town but people in remote areas are concerned about this sporadic fire,” a Sittwe resident told DVB. The last time fighting between AA and the military spread to Sittwe was Jan. 16-18. This is when both sides reportedly used snipers, drones, and heavy weapons. 

Narinjara News reported that the AA has attacked at least six military outposts along the Sittwe-Yangon highway with snipers, causing an unknown number of casualties. The AA has surrounded the remaining three townships under regime control: Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung townships. It has launched attacks in regions next to Arakan since January.

AA seizes regime outpost in Ayeyarwady Region

The AA, and its allied resistance forces, seized a military outpost at Kyargaung village, which is located between Thabaung Township and Shwethaungyan town, Ayeyarwady Region, on Monday. The AA launched an offensive there last month and seized Magyizin village on Jan. 10 and Bawmi village on Jan. 18. Shwethaungyan is located 43 miles (69 km) northwest of the region’s capital Pathein.

“Kyargaung is next to Shwethaungyan and situated in Thabaung. Instead of advancing towards Chaungtha, the AA is shifting its offensive toward Thabaung,” a source told DVB on the condition of anonymity. The military has since sent in reinforcements to support its troops in Ayeyarwady and has established a defensive position in Thephyu village of Thabaung, the source added.  

One of the military regime’s captains was reportedly killed and over 50 of its soldiers were injured. After abandoning the camp at Kyargaung village, military personnel took refuge in nearby Thitsin village of Thabaung, according to residents. Fighting was also reported in the area east of Thephyu village, near Kinpunchin Mountain, in Thabaung on Wednesday.

Singapore denies involvement in arms exports to Myanmar 

Singapore’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan denied allegations from a member of the opposition Workers’ Party about his government’s involvement in arms exports to the regime in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. He made a written response to a parliamentary question raised by Dennis Tan, a member of Singapore’s parliament.

“As I had explained in this House in February and July 2023, also in response to Mr Tan’s questions on both occasions, the U.N. Special Rapporteur for Myanmar Thomas Andrews reaffirmed in his report that ‘there are no indications the Government of Singapore has approved, or is involved in, the shipment of arms and associated materials to the Myanmar military,’” wrote Balakrishnan.

U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma Tom Andrews documented that $254 million USD worth of “arms and related goods” were being delivered to the military through Singapore-based entities. He initially flagged 47 companies and later added another 91 to the list. Andrews clarified that he had received no information suggesting that the Singapore government had approved or was involved in the arms transfers.

News by Region

MAGWAY—Residents of Minbu Township told DVB that there are fewer people visiting the Shwe Set Taw pagoda festival this year compared to previous years due to security concerns and forced military conscription. The festival began on Sunday and will end April 17. Minbu is located eight miles (12 km) west of the region’s capital Magway. 

“We offered trips to the pagoda festival but no one was interested,” a travel agency spokesperson told DVB. More than 1,000 residents from 11 villages near the pagoda have been forced to flee their homes since Dec. 22 due to a military offensive. Residents claimed that troops are deployed near the pagoda and are conducting daily raids in nearby villages. 

KAREN—Residents of Myawaddy Township reported that power outages occurred on Wednesday after Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) cut power to three towns located along the Burma-Thai border in order to crack down on cyber scam centers. Myawaddy is located across the border from Mae Sot, Tak Province of Thailand. 

“The power cut primarily affects Myawaddy Public Hospital, which has many patients,” a Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) spokesperson, told DVB. “Even if some people don’t use Thai electricity directly, they’re still affected. When fuel stations lose power, it becomes difficult to refuel, leading to a growing fuel shortage,” a Myawaddy resident told DVB. 

SHAN—Residents of Tachilek Township have reportedly turned to Laos for its electricity supply after Thailand’s PEA cut power on Wednesday. Tachilek is located next to Mae Sai, Chiang Rai Province of Thailand.  An estimated 7,500 households, 65 temples, 45 schools, 15 military camps and five hospitals in Tachilek are reportedly without power.

The Bangkok Post newspaper reported that Thailand’s Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that if Burma promises to block scam centres’ access to the Thai power supply, electricity sales from Thailand can resume. He declined to comment when asked if the cutoff would be effective in stopping cyber scams. 

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) told DVB on Wednesday that it sent a letter to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) to discuss territorial disputes in northern Shan State. The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) Chairperson N’Ban La called for mutual respect and cooperation between the two ethnic armed groups. 

“We will hold central-level talks with the KIA. Regarding the video on social media, we’ve reached an agreement with [KIA] brigade-level [officials] in Momeik,” Lway Ye Oo, the TNLA spokesperson, told DVB. A video showing a fight between members of the two groups in Kutkai Township surfaced online Jan. 26. 

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