Aye Myat Khaing, Narinjara News, 5 September 2024

Arakan Army (AA) spokesman U Khaing Thukha confirmed thattheir fighters found over 30 bodies of junta soldiers and seized  50weapons during the first clash in Sittwe, the state capital of Arakan, on 29 August.

"In the Sittwe clash, the junta suffered heavycasualties. They also retreated as we chased  them. Our fighters seizedmore than 50 arms along with over 30 bodies. They later did not launch anyoffensive,” he added.

The fighting started  after the AA fighters ambushed ajunta column at around 3 pm on 29 August. They were conducting militaryoperations over Min Hla (also known as Mee Laung) village under Sittwetownship. Later the junta column retreated.

The gun fighting lasted for more than four hours and itended by 7 pm.

It was the first prolonged clash between the junta soldiersand AA fighters in Sittwe. The AA emerged victorious in the firstconfrontation.

U Khaing Thukha said that the junta forces, after sufferingheavy casualties, fired artillery shells from a distant location. They avoidedany further offensive in Sittwe.

The  Sittwe-based battalions however continued firing artillery shells and conducting airstrikes on Rathedaung,Ponnagyun and Pauktaw townships.

A Sittwe resident informed that the junta forces firedartillery shells indiscriminately and also conducted airstrikes in theafternoon and evening hours of 30 August.

The junta soldiers apprehend that the AA fighters may attackSittwe soon.  In response to it, barbed wire fences were installed alongthe town's bypassing roads to limit the movement of vehicles. Moreover, manybunkers and bomb shelters were reinforced at military battalions and other keylocations, including the airfield.