December 19, 2024
The Arakan Army (AA) has intensified its military operations against Myanmar’s military council, targeting key camps in Ann and Gwa following its reported capture of Maungdaw and Toungup.
In a statement released on December 18, the AA claimed significant advances in Ann, home to the Western Command headquarters. According to the statement, only a few positions within the command’s military office and headquarters remain under the control of military council forces.
“The enemy, with hundreds of troops stationed at the Command Military Office, is fiercely defending their positions,” the AA’s statement read.
The military council has reportedly retaliated with heavy artillery fire from the Rakhine Yoma mountain range, with some strikes allegedly hitting its own troops, resulting in casualties.
The AA further alleged that intense fighting continues due to the military council’s combined use of heavy weaponry and airstrikes, contributing to a volatile battlefield in Ann.
The statement also noted instances of surrender by military council personnel near the Western Command. “The sooner you raise the white flag, the sooner you will survive and reunite with your family,” the AA pledged, offering assurances of safety to those who surrender.
Meanwhile, fierce clashes persist in Gwa, a strategic town in southern Rakhine. The AA reported seizing enemy bodies, weapons, and ammunition during recent confrontations in the area.
Both sides have yet to release independent confirmations of battlefield developments, and the humanitarian situation in the affected regions remains unclear.
