AA captures Ramree in southern Rakhine State

The Arakan Army (AA) has captured Ramree in Ramree island of Rakhine State, where some major Chinese projects are located, said an AA source.

The AA fighters have restricted the junta soldiers' ability to send reinforcements, weapons, and other supplies to Ramree township and succeeded in their mission, added the source.

Thus they captured the remaining junta base on Thein Taung, from where the soldiers fled to a navy barge in Kalein Taung river on 6 March.

"As the supply of weapons, food and other items was restricted by the  AA fighters, the  soldiers on Thein Taung left the place. Once they ran out of  ammunition the soldiers surrendered to the AA,” stated the source.

On 18 December, the AA launched an offensive in Ramree township and finally managed to capture it after weeks of fighting.

Now the Ramree township has become a junta-free zone, he added.

However, the junta soldiers were conducting airstrikes and firing artillery shells from military vessels in Kalein Taung river.

AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha avoided any comment over the capture of Ramree because of security concerns.

Ramree faced a good number of airstrikes and also artillery shell firing and it became the second most severely affected town after Pauktaw township.