“The Battle for Gwa Town Could Be Extremely Intense," Says Arakanese Veteran Politician U Pe Than

Lu Htet Naing, Narinjara News, 14 October 2024

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

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

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

As the AA's onslaught is anticipated to soon reach this vital territory, Narinjara News reached out to U Pe Than, a seasoned Arakanese political analyst and politician, for his perspective on the battle for Gwa Town.

"I have heard that the Ayeyarwady Region's army 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 a strong and huge war for Gwa," he declared.

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

"Anyway, the allied forces from the Ayeyarwady Region may obstruct the junta forces if they try to enter via the Gwa-Ngathainggyaung road. Reinforcements for the junta will not come easily, he said.

He said the junta will battle hard to keep Gwa Town from being captured because if it falls, the fighting might spread to the Ayeyarwady Region. 

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

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

Gwa Town is a vital military target for the AA since it is the final town capture conflict in the southernmost region of Arakan State. The junta will resolutely oppose the collapse of Gwa Town because they fear that the fighting may extend to the Ayeyarwady Region, according to U Pe Than.