Heavy fighting has broken out in the Rakhine State capital of Sittwe between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), with reports of significant damage to civilian infrastructure following intense aerial bombardments.
As the military struggles to maintain control over one of its few remaining strongholds in the region, junta forces launched a major air offensive on nearby Pauktaw Township on the night of 6 March. Local residents reported that jet fighters and Y-12 transport planes were used to drop a “rain of bombs” on hilly areas near the villages of Kyain Khway Maw, Dah Kaing, and Nga Pye Kyun.
The escalation comes amid reports of direct hits on civilian facilities within Sittwe. An artillery shell reportedly struck the Emergency Department of Sittwe’s main hospital on the morning of 7 March, causing extensive damage. Other shells landed near a local high school (BEHS 4) and a law office in the city center.
“The fighting in Sittwe is very intense,” one local resident told the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA). “We are seeing artillery fragments hitting the hospital’s outpatient department, though it is unclear if this was a result of an airstrike or ground fire”.
Military analysts suggest the junta is increasingly paranoid about losing Sittwe, as the Arakan Army continues to gain ground in neighboring townships such as Rathedaung and Ponnagyun. “The military is terrified of a multi-front offensive,” one observer noted. “In their panic, they are indiscriminately bombing civilian areas and hillsides where they suspect AA troops might be stationed”.
Inside the city, the atmosphere remains one of fear and uncertainty. Beyond the threat of crossfire and airstrikes, residents claim that the military is conducting aggressive house-to-house searches under the pretext of checking “guest lists,” leading to further arbitrary arrests.
The exact number of casualties from the recent bombardment of Pauktaw remains unknown, as communication lines in the conflict-torn state continue to be severely restricted.
