Junta threats compound daily survival challenges in Gwa Twsp

By Admin 29 Aug 2026

DMG Newsroom

29 August 2026, Gwa

Residents in Gwa Township, the southernmost town in Arakan State, report that persistent threats from military junta airstrikes and naval activity are compounding daily survival challenges and worsening livelihood hardships.

The military junta is attempting to penetrate Gwa Township from Ayeyarwady Region, launching heavy airstrikes across the township alongside active naval deployments at sea.

Consequently, local residents say earning a living amid constant junta threats has become nearly impossible, forcing families to prioritize personal safety over their livelihoods and resulting in severe income losses.

"Because Gwa is under constant military pressure, basic daily survival has become extremely difficult for local residents and displaced people alike. Even residents in the main town face severe hardships. When people try to work, they face airstrike hazards and threats from the junta navy, so working is completely unsafe and people have no income," a local man in Gwa said.

Gwa and Thandwe townships are among the areas hardest hit by military junta air and naval strikes throughout July and August.

Gwa Township has limited arable farmland, with residents relying primarily on offshore fishing for their livelihoods and depending on Ayeyarwady Region for basic food supplies.

Due to military junta blockades imposed since 2024, trade from mainland Myanmar through Ayeyarwady Region has been severed, forcing residents to rely on trade routes connected to northern Arakan State townships.

However, trading with northern Arakan State involves long travel distances and high transportation costs, nearly doubling local commodity prices.

"Since goods can no longer enter from mainland Myanmar, we have to rely on trade flows with northern Arakan State, which is far from smooth. Transportation costs are exceptionally high, making prices nearly double compared to the north," another local man in Gwa said.

In Gwa Township, a bag of low-grade rice sells for K90,000, while one liter of cooking oil is priced at K15,000, one viss of onions at K14,000, one viss of garlic at K22,000, and one liter of fuel at up to K13,000.

Furthermore, humanitarian assistance reaching Gwa Township remains extremely limited, while local community relief efforts are unable to meet existing needs, exacerbating hardships for both displaced people and local residents.

As the military junta attempts to break through into Arakan State via Gwa Township from Ayeyarwady Region, relentless airstrikes continue to leave local populations without safety or security.