Lu Htet Naing, Narinjara News, 14 October 2024

Gwa Township, in the southernmost region ofArakan State, is progressively being affected by fighting; as of right now, theArakan Army's (AA) attack is about 25 miles south of Gwa Town.

On September 5, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the AA tookcontrol of Maung Shwe Lay, the last naval facility belonging to the junta, inThandwe Town. After this triumph, in the third week of September, the AAlaunched another onslaught into Gwa Township and took control of thestrategically significant Kyeintali Town, which is located between Thandwe Townand Gwa Town.

Following their capture of Kyeintali Town, theAA pursued their onslaught, driving the junta forces out of Kyauk Pa Sat, SarChet, Kaing Khon, Gant Gaw Taung, Ba Win, Ku Lar Pyin (Yadanar Myaing), BelInn, Del Bote, and Ku Toet Lay, among other villages. The junta was unable tostop the AA's advance even with resistance from combined army, naval, and airforce troops. As of right now, the junta forces have pulled back to the areasaround the villages of Kyway Chai, Taing Kyoe, and Sattwar.

As the AA's onslaught is anticipated to soon reach thisvital territory, Narinjara News reached out to U Pe Than, a seasoned Arakanesepolitical analyst and politician, for his perspective on the battle for GwaTown.

"I have heard that the Ayeyarwady Region'sarmy had significantly bolstered the junta in Gwa. There is a vulnerability,even though the fight for Gwa could be quite fierce. For food and weaponry,they will mostly depend on the air force. "I believe there will be astrong and huge war for Gwa," he declared.

He added that the Ayeyarwady Region is home to friendlyforces of the AA. Reinforcements from the junta will have difficulty getting toGwa if the Gwa-Ngathainggyaung road is blocked. Because of this, the juntawould find it challenging to hold off the AA's onslaught for very long.

"Anyway, the allied forces from theAyeyarwady Region may obstruct the junta forces if they try to enter via theGwa-Ngathainggyaung road. Reinforcements for the junta will not come easily, hesaid.

He said the junta will battle hard to keep Gwa Town frombeing captured because if it falls, the fighting might spread to the AyeyarwadyRegion. 

"I think the conflict may continue to NgweSaung, Chaung Thar, and Maw Tin after Gwa. They might be able to move as far asMaw Tin because of the topography, which isolates the sea coast bymountains," he remarked.

After seeing the junta troops lose the battlesthat are still going on in Gwa Township, most of the locals believe that GwaTown, which is only being defended by two battalions, the 562nd and 563rd LightInfantry Battalions, will soon be taken over by the AA.

Gwa Town is a vital military target for the AAsince it is the final town capture conflict in the southernmost region ofArakan State. The junta will resolutely oppose the collapse of Gwa Town becausethey fear that the fighting may extend to the Ayeyarwady Region, according to UPe Than.