Fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and regime forces continued on Sunday after it seized control of two regime outposts near Kyarmathauk village in the Arakan State capital Sittwe Township on Friday. The village is located roughly four miles (6.4 km) north of the regime Regional Operations Command (ROC) headquarters in Sittwe.
A source in the AA told DVB on the condition of anonymity that they are fighting regime forces over the control of the Military Engineering Battalion 908 in Sittwe’s Kyarmathauk village, adding that the Myanmar Air Force has struck AA positions since Oct. 16.
The battle over control of the Amyintkyun village police station near Sittwe continued on Oct. 18 after two regime outposts at the entrance into Sittwe were seized by the AA on Oct. 11. Amyintkyun village is located 12 miles (19 km) north of Sittwe town, which is under regime control.
The source added that the AA is “attempting to besiege” the ROC in Sittwe while fighting the Myanmar Navy on Pauktaw Township’s Ngapyi Island last week. Pauktaw, located 131 miles (210 km) east of Sittwe, was seized by the AA in 2024.
Residents of Pauktaw told DVB on Oct. 18 that there has been no sound of gunfire on Ngapyi Island over the previous few days.
At least 50 regime troops were killed by the AA during fighting on Ngapyi Island, according to the source. Neither the regime nor the AA has shared casualty figures.
Naval vessels have attempted to land troops on Ngapyi Island, strategically located in the Kaladan River at the junction of Sittwe, Pauktaw and Ponnagyun townships, since Oct. 7. The island lies roughly one mile (1.6 km) east of the regime’s Shwemingan naval base in Sittwe.
A military analyst in Arakan told DVB on the condition of anonymity that control of the island allows for a stronger defense of Sittwe. Residents fled their homes on Ngapyi Island in early 2024 in anticipation of military attacks.
Pro-regime social media accounts have claimed that the military has taken control of Alel village, one of the three, on the island.
At least 70 civilians have been killed in 71 airstrikes and 32 clashes between AA and regime forces since a new counteroffensive began on Sept. 4, according to a new report from the Institute for Strategy and Policy (ISP-Myanmar).
The AA has yet to lose any territory to regime forces, since it launched its most recent offensive on Nov. 13, 2023, and seized 14 out of Arakan’s 17 townships, as well as neighboring Chin State’s Paletwa Township.
It expanded its offensive into neighbouring Magway, Ayeyarwady and Bago regions and has continued to contest regime control of Arakan’s Sittwe and Kyaukphyu townships since early 2025.
Besides Sittwe and Kyaukphyu, Manaung is the only other township in the state under regime control.
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