Locals in Arakan State report that air ticket prices on the Sittwe-Kyaukphyu-Yangon routes in 2026 have increased by nearly K300,000 compared to 2025, causing financial strain for many residents.

Two displaced women were killed and two others injured by airstrikes, suicide drone attacks and heavy weapons fire from a Myanmar Navy warship in Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan State, according to local sources.

A 7-year-old girl from Paikthae Ward, Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State, who recently underwent a kidney transplant, is urgently seeking financial assistance to continue her medical treatment.

Residents of townships controlled by the Arakan Army (AA) are now allowed to travel outside Arakan State only for health, trade and other social needs after obtaining approval from ward, village, local and township administrators, according to local residents.

Some entrepreneurs in Arakan State, where trade routes remain blocked, are experimenting with locally produced goods, with natural fertilizer gaining increased use among farmers.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the United League of Arakan (ULA) Department of Public Health has urged those importing, selling, and providing medical treatment in areas controlled by the Arakan Army to apply for drug sale and import licences.

Betel leaf cultivation in Arakan State is thriving as prices rise due to exports to Bangladesh and India, with growers reporting improved livelihoods.

Myanmar's military regime is using Muslim militiamen to break into and destroy homes in villages where residents have fled due to fighting in Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan State, according to local residents.

The price of 24-carat gold has reached around K10 million per tical in Arakan State, while it stands at about K9.9 million per tical in Myanmar's mainland markets, according to gold shop owners.

Residents in several townships in Yangon Region are criticising junta authorities for charging households military service fees of up to K20,000, according to local sources.

The Arakan Army (AA) is reportedly strengthening security along the Arakan-Bangladesh border amid threats posed by Muslim armed groups.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Arakan Army (AA) held a meeting in Teknaf on January 13 to discuss ongoing clashes along the Bangladesh-Arakan border in northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State.

Residents and internally displaced people (IDPs) say those displaced by fighting in Kyaukphyu Township are facing an acute shortage of drinking water as clashes between Myanmar's military regime and the Arakan Army intensify.

Thazin flower cultivation in Arakan State is declining due to armed conflict, natural disasters and a shrinking number of growers, raising concerns that the prized orchid could face extinction.

Hundreds of Chinese security personnel have been deployed in Kyaukphyu Township, where fighting has intensified, to protect China-backed oil, gas and electricity projects, local sources said.

In an era when daily news from Arakan is often fragmented and fast-changing, DMG's Weekly Highlights of Arakan brings clarity, depth, and context to the stories that matter most.

The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA), which controls most of Arakan State, has opened a medical school to strengthen healthcare services for the local population.

Clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and Muslim armed groups have intensified in recent days in northern Taungpyo Letwe Town and near border markers in Maungdaw Township along the Arakan State-Bangladesh border, according to local sources.

As fighting intensifies in Sittwe, Myanmar Navy warships have increased their presence in the Kaladan River estuary, with residents reporting heightened activity near the coast of Pauktaw Township.