Junta relinquishes military installations including 373rd battalion in Ann

 Min Shin Saw, Narinjara News, 13 October 2024

The military junta has relinquished many military installations, including the 373rd light infantry battalion under the western command in Ann township of Arakan State.

A source close to the military informed Narinjara News that the junta soldiers lost control of the strategic Kan Date Taung artillery hill and 373rd light infantry battalion, despite they tried to defend their positions using airstrikes and engaging ground forces.

"Kan Date Taung was captured first and it was  followed by the 373rd battalion. I heard that the capture was completed on 11 October. The sound of small arms firing is no longer heard here. The airstrikes were conducted using fighter jets in the afternoon  hours. Later in the night hours the 373rd battalion fell. Some junta forces surrendered and others fled to the air defense base," added the source.

The western command and the 373rd battalion were located about five miles apart. The retreating soldiers joined the air defense and SaYaPha units.

The Arakan Army (AA) launched an offensive against the battalion on the evening of 10 October following the capture of  Mel Taung tactical operation command. The AA fighters seized control of the battalion the next evening.

The Kan Date Taung artillery base, the highest ridge connected to the area where the 373rd  battalion is located, was captured on 11 October by  2 pm.

 The AA has not issued any statement regarding the capture of these military installations and hence Narinjara News cannot authenticate the information.

The  junta soldiers repeatedly conducted airstrikes and by 4 pm they targeted Mel La Maung secondary school destroying the buildings.

They also dug a tunnel into the mountain of the air defense base to prepare for defense against the probable AA offensive.

However, divisions among the junta forces, demoralization among soldiers and lack of wil may soon lead to the fall of the western command based in Ann locality.