A resident of Kyaukphyu Township in Arakan State told DVB that he heard the sound of artillery being fired from Myanmar Navy warships since Saturday, the eve of the regime’s 2025-26 elections starting on Dec. 28.
“Elections began this morning [on Dec. 28] in the town while regime forces and Arakan Army members are fighting in the outskirts,” the Kyaukphyu resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity.
Kyaukphyu, located 317 miles (510 km) south of the Arakan State capital Sittwe, is contested between the Arakan Army (AA) and regime forces.
A source close to the military told DVB on the condition of anonymity that an undisclosed number of its personnel were killed by AA artillery strikes on the Thitpotetaung Navy base in Kyaukphyu on Dec. 27.
A resident of Sittwe Township told DVB that the AA and regime forces exchanged fire in three villages, adding that regime positions in Amyintkyun village launched drone and artillery attacks on Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, and Pauktaw townships Dec. 27.
The three towns are located 20-131 miles (32-210 km) north and east of Sittwe.
The regime’s Arakan State Chief Minister Htein Lin told the pro-regime media on Dec. 26 that a total of 195,888 voters are registered to cast ballots at 164 polling stations in Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung townships during the first phase of the elections on Dec. 28.
“This election offers nothing to hope for the people of Rakhine. It is merely a sham election intended to entrench the power of the regime,” a Sittwe resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity, adding that the town is currently under “tight security.”
The regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) announced on Dec. 5 that it will not be able to hold elections in 71 wards and village-tracts across Sittwe, and the port town of Kyaukphyu, due to “a lack of conditions to ensure free-and-fair elections.”
Arakan State has over 2.5 million residents, according to the regime’s 2024 census report.
The military-proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), as well as the Arakan-based Arakan Front Party (AFP) and the Rakhine Nationalities Party have fielded candidates to contest the polls in Arakan State.
The AA controls 14 out of Arakan’s 17 townships, as well as Paletwa Township in southern Chinland, since it launched its most recent offensive against regime forces on Nov. 13, 2023.
