A high-ranking junta officer was killed amid heavy fighting near Kyaukphyu in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, as the Arakan Army (AA) advances toward the strategically significant port town, local media reports.
Clashes erupted around Pyaing Si Kay village, located approximately 5 kilometers south of Kyaukphyu on the road to Ramree. The AA reportedly captured multiple junta positions, including defenses surrounding a police battalion headquarters.
Fighting has also intensified near China`s oil and gas terminal in the area. On Monday, Brigadier General Kyaw Myo Aung, a strategist from Division 11, was shot and killed by AA marksmen along with an army captain. His body was flown to Yangon the following day, and he was buried at Mingaladon military cemetery on Thursday. He was 45 years old.
The military is now deploying airpower, naval forces, and ground troops in a bid to hold Kyaukphyu, a critical hub for Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure, including a deep-sea port and energy pipelines linking Myanmar to China’s Yunnan province.
Chinese private security groups, present in the area to safeguard BRI projects, are reportedly assisting the junta in launching drone attacks against AA positions. This follows the enactment of Myanmar’s Private Security Service Law in February, which allows foreign armed security personnel to operate within the country to protect economic interests. Chinese personnel have since arrived in Kyaukphyu.
As the AA closes in, regime administrators are reported to be fleeing the town. The broader AA offensive, launched in November 2023, has so far led to the group taking control of 14 out of Rakhine State’s 17 townships, along with Paletwa Township in Chin State. The group is still engaged in combat to capture Sittwe, the state capital.
In response, junta airstrikes have targeted numerous villages and towns now under AA control, causing significant civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the AA has expanded its operations into neighboring regions including Magwe, Bago, and Ayeyarwady.
