Junta fortifies Kyaukphyu, Chinese investment hub

By Admin 13 Dec 2024

DMG Newsroom
13 December 2024, Kyaukphyu

Myanmar’s military regime is reinforcing its troops in Kyaukphyu, the island town in Arakan State that hosts significant Chinese investment projects, to defend against the Arakkha Army’s (AA) ongoing offensive there, sources told DMG.

A Myanmar Navy warship transported about 400 junta soldiers to the military’s Light Infantry Battalion Nos. 542 and 543 in Kyaukphyu on December 8, a source said.

“The regime sent weapons and around 400 junta soldiers to Kyaukphyu by ship. The regime also transported sandbags and cement bags to Kyaukphyu to build bunkers. The regime is preparing a defence in Kyaukphyu,” the source added.

The regime has reportedly fortified Light Infantry Battalion Nos. 542 and 543, located outside Kyaukphyu Town, with fences made of sharpened bamboo sticks. It has done the same to Infantry Battalion No. 34 near Kyaukphyu Airport. Junta soldiers are patrolling Kyaukphyu, and conducting overnight guest and household registration card checks.

“Junta soldiers check all the goods brought in by the locals,” a local woman recounted of her experience being checked at the Kyauktalone checkpoint.

Meanwhile, the military buildup is accelerating an exodus of the local population to places deemed safer, according to locals.

“Around half of Kyaukphyu’s population has already fled to safer locations. Some residents are still fleeing to safety,” said a local man in Kyaukphyu.

The AA has seized control of Ramree, Sanae and Maei towns, which are close to Kyaukphyu, home to a China-backed special economic zone, deep-sea port project and twin oil and gas pipelines.

Over the past year, the AA has seized 13 towns in Arakan State plus Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State.