Arakan residents call for air raid warning systems amid surge in junta airstrikes

By Admin 25 Feb 2026

DMG Newsroom

25 February 2026, Ponnagyun

As fighting intensifies across Arakan State, residents are calling for the installation of air raid warning systems as the military regime steps up aerial attacks on civilian areas in territories controlled by the Arakan Army (AA).

On February 24, a junta airstrike on a market in Yoengu Village in Ponnagyun Township killed 17 civilians, including children, and injured 15 others. The attack is the latest in a series of air raids blamed for mounting civilian casualties.

Residents are urging authorities to introduce air raid sirens and other ground-based warning systems to reduce the risk posed by aerial assaults.

While a phone-based alert system developed by the Air Watch group has been used in parts of mainland Myanmar, it is largely ineffective in Arakan State due to the junta-imposed internet blackout. Locals say warning mechanisms that rely on internet connectivity are not practical under current conditions.

“The Air Watch system requires internet access. I tried it before it worked once when a plane approached, but now it doesn’t. It is not effective here. We need reliable warning systems on the ground,” a local man told DMG.

The system is designed to trigger an alarm when an aircraft enters a 100-kilometre radius. However, without stable internet access, residents say they remain vulnerable to sudden airstrikes.

“In mainland Myanmar, people receive air raid alerts on their phones. We have no internet in Arakan State. I want the United League of Arakan (ULA) to prioritize public safety by installing audible warning systems,” a resident of Mrauk-U said.

Audible warning systems using loudspeakers were reportedly in place in parts of northern Arakan State in early 2024, but residents say they have largely disappeared since mid-2025.

Locals are now calling on the ULA to ensure sustained civilian protection measures by installing sirens in all towns under its control.

“If sirens and loudspeakers are installed in every township using technology to detect incoming aircraft, it will save lives,” a young woman in Kyaukphyu said.

According to DMG data, junta airstrikes in Arakan State escalated in 2025, killing at least 260 civilians and injuring 473 others.

From January to February 23, 2026, airstrikes in Kyaukphyu, Thandwe, Kyauktaw, Ramree, Ponnagyun and Buthidaung Townships killed at least 25 people and injured 33.