The Arakan Army (AA) has launched a massive attack on a military junta column reinforced with four helicopterstowards  Ramree township of Rakhine State, where the gun fighting isescalating.

It  resulted in the killing of over 60 junta soldiersand seizure of a substantial volume of arms, said a statement issued by the AAon Sunday.

On 24 February, the junta sent around 120 soldiers byhelicopters. They made seven drops to deliver the reinforcements, added thestatement.

The AA fighters attacked the reinforcement column andalso persisted in attacking the remaining group of soldiers.

The reinforcement column included the 36th infantrybattalion stationed in Kyonpyaw township of Ayeyarwady region under the southwestern command and the 373rd light infantry battalion stationed in Anntownship under the same command.

Due to daily airstrikes conducted by the junta forceson Ramree locality, most of the residential buildings, hospitals, schools,monasteries and religious structures were destroyed.

After Pauktaw township in the Rakhine region, Ramreeremains the most affected town by the junta’s airstrikes.

The  AA fighters later recovered the bodies ofsoldiers along with a large volume of arms and ammunition. Despite continuousairstrikes conducted by the junta forces throughout the day, the junta'sreinforcement column was defeated, asserted the statement.