The Arakan Army (AA) has captured the 539th lightinfantry battalion based in Kan Sauk under Kyauktaw township of Rakhine Statefollowing which around  300 junta soldiers from this battalion surrenderedtheir weapons.

At approximately 10 am on Tuesday, a reliable sourcerevealed that a large group of soldiers surrendered to the AA and informed that 20 more armed individuals were hiding at the base. Initially hesitant tosurrender out of fear, they however later surrendered after a loudspeakerannouncement was made. So the entire battalion is understood to lay their arms.

The AA fighters initially encircled the base andstarted attacks from all sides. It followed an intense fighting between the twosides in the early morning hours.

"The AA fighters attacked the battalion from all sidesalong the Kan Sauk ridge. The soldiers finally surrendered because theyrealized they cannot escape," explained a local resident.

The AA initiated the offensive against the 539thbattalion on 10 January. Located at the foothills of Kan Sauk mountain,alongside the Sittwe-Yangon highway, the 539th battalion was positioned alongthe Kan Sauk ridge.

The battalion  not only served as a checkpointwith a lengthy inspection for the civilians since the onset of gun fighting inRakhine during  2019, but also engaged its soldiers to regularly firesartillery shells on the neighbouring residential areas.

On 14 January, the AA successfully captured the 377thartillery battalion situated on the Sittwe-Rangoon highway in the south ofKyauktaw township, said the Three Brotherhood Alliance.