Arakan Army captures 14 junta personnel in Maungdaw Township fighting

21 July 2022
Arakan Army captures 14 junta personnel in Maungdaw Township fighting

Arakan Army (AA) fighters attacked and fought with junta troops twice in Rakhine State’s Maungdaw Township on the morning of 18 July.

At 9:00 a.m. there was fighting in the area between Hsaungpanya Village and Sakarpinyin Village and at 10:30 a.m. there was fighting in the area between Dom Village and Wet Kyen Village.

Many junta soldiers were killed or injured in the fighting and fourteen junta personnel were captured by the AA.

The AA attacks were in retaliation to an unexpected and unprovoked junta airstrike on an AA base on the Myanmar/Thai border in the KNU Brigade (5) area that killed six AA members, on 4 July.

U Khine Thukha, an AA spokesperson said: "The junta bombarded our Arakan Army camp in Karen State on purpose without engaging in combat. This is why this fighting happened in Maungdaw. We lost members due to the junta's airstrikes in Karen State, so we retaliated against the junta troops.

The 14 detained junta personnel included a police officer who surrendered. As well as capturing personnel the AA also seized 25 small arms, two pistols, ammunition, military equipment and other weapons, according to Arakan Princess Media.

The AA and junta forces have recently clashed several times in Maungdaw Township. Local residents told Mizzima that people from nearby villages have become scared by the increase in fighting and have had to flee the area.