The junta is withdrawing troops from northern Rakhine and increasing attacks against civilians in the south of the state because it knows it is losing the war in Myanmar’s westernmost state, the Arakan Army said.
It made the statement after the junta airlifted its troops from two hilltop outposts in Rakhine State’s Myebon Township on Sunday, sending them south for safety.
“The junta’s military is sure to lose if they are defending against us, so it is withdrawing by burning down military outposts and hilltop [bases] in the townships we are attempting to seize,” the AA said in a statement.
Junta troops in Point 402 and 408 hilltop outposts in Myebon destroyed arms, ammunition and artillery inside the outposts at about 5:30 pm yesterday, the AA said.
They took only the weapons they could carry with them from the outposts, which are located about 3 kilometers northwest of Hin Kha Raw village.
Helicopters were used to carry the troops from the two outposts in northern Rakhine to the junta’s Western Command in Ann Township in southern Rakhine. The AA said it took four trips to transport the junta troops from the two bases to safety.
Regime troops are continuing to bombard Ramree in the south of Rakhine, hitting the township from land, sea and air.
At least 150 homes in No. 4 King Tae ward were incinerated by junta shelling and airstrikes on Saturday.
Junta troops stationed on Theim Taung pagoda hill also fired artillery shells into Ramree Town on Sunday.
Clashes continued to break out in other townships of the state over the weekend, but they were not as heavy as last week’s.
The AA has vowed to continue attacking all junta bases and outposts in the state till those inside surrender.
It said in its statement today that “the junta’s military still cannot accept the reality of its failure in Rakhine State” and accused it of using “fascist terror” against civilians and isolating the western state by cutting off access to transport, information and commodities.
The Brotherhood Alliance warned civilians of the rising danger of landmines in Rakhine State, saying the junta’s military is placing landmines around its outposts and bases there.
Residents of the state accuse the junta’s military of violating human rights daily.
On Feb. 17, junta’s troops reportedly arrested four civilians in Kyaukphyu township as they were walking back to their homes in Min Tat Taung village. Their faces were covered and they were taken into a military base.
The AA is one of the three ethnic armies in the Brotherhood Alliance, which launched Operation 1027 in northern Shan State on Oct. 27 last year.
On Nov. 13, the AA launched a large-scale offensive against regime targets across northern Rakhine State and in Paletwa Township in neighboring Chin State.
After humiliating the junta’s military in northern Shan State, the AA did the same in Rakhine State. It has seized more than 170 junta bases and outposts since Nov. 13, as well as six towns in Rakhine State – Pauktaw, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Taungpyoletwe and Myebon – and one in Chin State, Paletwa.