Junta commander visits wounded soldiers at Kyaukphyu military hospital

By Admin 21 Jul 2025

DMG Newsroom

21 July 2025, Kyaukphyu

The commander of the Myanmar military's Western Command, Maj-Gen Kyaw Swar Oo, comforted injured military officers, soldiers, and police personnel receiving treatment at a military hospital in Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan State, on the morning of July 20.

According to a statement from the junta-controlled Ministry of Information, Maj-Gen Kyaw Swar Oo and his team spoke warmly about the condition of the wounded soldiers, their medical treatment, and their progress.

The commander of the military's Western Command reportedly provided cash assistance and food to the injured soldiers.

"The military regime suffered the most casualties in the battle for Kyaukphyu," said a young man monitoring the military situation in Arakan State. "Now that the fighting has calmed down a bit, the commander of the military's Western Command has personally gone to comfort the wounded soldiers. Kyaukphyu is the last stronghold in Arakan State. Only when the main fighting subsided did the commander of the military's Western Command dare to go to Kyaukphyu."

After the military's Ann-based Western Command was captured by the Arakan Army (AA) on December 20, 2024, Maj-Gen Kyaw Swar Oo escaped and moved to Sittwe, where the Western Command headquarters is now based.

There are currently no clashes between the military and the Arakan Army in Kyaukphyu Township.

Locals say that since July 10, the fighting has slowed down, except for heavy weapons fire from the military, and the Arakan Army has stopped counterattacks.

Locals say the military has reinforced its manpower and weapons for the Kyaukphyu battle ahead, and is preparing to resist the Arakan Army with the navy, air force, paramotors, and drones.

The battle for Kyaukphyu, which began in February near the Danyawaddy naval base, has now lasted for about five months and has claimed the lives of at least two military brigadier generals and hundreds of soldiers.

During the Kyaukphyu battle, the Arakan Army captured a major and several other military officers and blockaded the No. 32 police battalion, the Danyawaddy naval base and a military outpost near Malakyun Village.

The Arakan Army has seized 14 of the 17 townships in Arakan State and is now primarily focusing its offensive gaze on Kyaukphyu, one of the remaining three towns held by the regime: Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung.

"I think the Arakan Army's seizure of the entire Arakan State including Kyaukphyu will become a huge revolutionary tsunami," Salai Yaw Mang, spokesperson for the Chin Brotherhood, told DMG in a recent interview.

Kyaukphyu is an area where Chinese projects are based, making it particularly important for the military regime and the AA.

Currently, the AA controls the rural parts of Kyaukphyu Township, while the military regime controls the urban areas. Oil and gas exports to China and related profits are still under the management of the military regime.

Kyaukphyu is home to the junta's Light Infantry Battalion Nos. 542 and 543, Infantry Battalion No. 34, and the No. 32 police battalion.

The Danyawaddy naval base, Taung Maw Gyi sub-naval station and Ohn Kyein naval station are also based in Kyaukphyu.