Narinjara News, 7 September 2024

The Arakan Army (AA) fully captured the last remainingMaung Shwe Lay naval base in Thandwe township of Arakan State on 5 September.This was confirmed by a statement released on 6 September, which also includedphotographs.

The statement reported that over 400 junta soldierswere killed and a significant amount of military equipment, weapons andammunition were seized.

The  naval base was critical for the junta thatserved as the site of Central Naval Diving and Salvage Depot (Myanmar Navy) andfunctioned as a naval training camp.

On 7 August, the AA fighters launched an offensiveagainst the depot, a major remaining base of the military junta in Thandwe,where the enemy columns defended it for days.

The offensive against  Maung Shwe Lay naval base,situated between Maung Shwe Lay and Kwin Wine villages lasted for nearly amonth. The naval base was fully captured on 5 September at around  6 pm, revealed  the AA statement.

The junta forces put up a step-by-step defense in andaround Maung Shwe Lay, Kwin Wine, Tha Byu Chai villages  and the concerneddepot. They were supported by the heavy artillery and naval forces. Despitethese efforts, they could not sustain for days and finally surrendered the baseto the AA.

More than 1,200 junta soldiers were stationed in andaround the depot.  It was reinforced by junta forces who had escaped fromother locations after defeats along with the newly trained soldiers.

The junta defended the base with substantial artillerysupport from the sea too.

During the AA's offensive, over 400 junta soldierswere killed and a large volume  of military equipment, weapons, andammunition were seized.

The junta repeatedly transported their wounded anddeceased by warship to Sittwe and the Ayeyarwady region.

The AA fighters conducted burials for the bodies ofjunta soldiers.

The AA expressed deep gratitude and honor to theirfighters and troops involved in various battles.

As the junta continued to lose the war, it deliberately targeted civilians with artillery shells and airstrikes, atactic commonly used when their camps fell. These actions are considered crimesagainst humanity and acts of violence.

On 6 September at  10:47 am, artillery shellswere fired into Pauktaw town from the 12th police battalion, a junta militarybase in Sittwe. At 10:57 am, more  shells were fired from the Sittwe navalbase causing explosions in various wards and villages. Some civilian houseswere damaged by these attacks.

The battle to capture Maungdaw is going on, concludedthe AA statement.