Junta imposes curfew in Sittwe amid increasing military activities

The military junta has imposed the curfew in Sittwe, the capital city of Rakhine State, on the night of Thursday amid escalating military activities in the Rakhine region of western Myanmar.

The residents informed that  Sittwe comes under the curfew from 9 pm to 4 am. The curfew was declared by the administrators belonging to junta by 5 pm.

"They moved around the city in a trishaw and  announced the curfew with loudspeaker and hand-held speakers. The ward administrators also warned the people who move out during the night hours. The curfew is enforced in the Sittwe municipal areas with some adjacent  rural areas too," said a resident.

The Arakan Army (AA) initiated an offensive against the junta's divisions and battalions stationed in various Rakhine townships leading to intense clashes.

Currently, the AA fighters are engaged with attacks against the battalions based in Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, and Minbya townships. Several battalions have been captured by the AA members. The repercussion has finally reached  Sittwe which prompted the residents to flee for safer places.

The residents can hear the sound of  gunfire and military aircrafts taking round in their localities.

"During the night hours, we can hear the noise of passenger aircrafts landing along with the military aircrafts taking off and later landing. Additionally, we hear the sound of gunfire every night," said a local resident.

Lately, the junta forces have positioned themselves under Satt Yoe Kya bridge and near South Korea Port bridge as both the points give access to the people with waterways in Sittwe.