The Arakan Army (AA) and Tatmadaw troops have been fighting heavily in Northern Maungdaw Township, Rakhine state, according to locals.

The AA base in Letpan Range, about three kilometers from Mee Taik village in northern Maungdaw Township, was attacked by Tatmadaw Infantry Battalion No. 352 troops (Kha Ma Ya 352) on the afternoon of February 4 and fighting intensified as an AA scout was killed.

According to locals, there was intense fighting between the two sides for over three hours. The Tatmadaw troops started the fighting by firing heavy weapons on February 6 after they arrived at the AA base camp in Letpan Range.

The AA and Tatmadaw also fought for approximately 30 minutes Kyee Kan Pyin Border Guard Headquarters, near Pharwat Chaung village, in Maungdaw township at 11PM on February 7, a village administrator told Mizzima.

"There was fighting last night at bedtime. It's close to Kyee Kan Pyin Headquarters. It took around 30 minutes to complete. Small weapons fire was also heard”, said an officer from an adjacent village.

A civilian-owned lumber truck that was accompanied by government troops also exploded near the Border Guard Force (BGF) headquarters in Kyee Kan Pyin, killing a local woman and a driver, according to local sources.

The current fighting in Maungdaw Township is likely to spread to other townships in Rakhine State, according to Rakhine political analysts.

"I also heard about landmines yesterday. If they (the military council) get hurt in one place, it can happen in other places as well. A war can never end in one place. Attacks will resume in areas where they are strong. Then it (the fighting) will expand. If they do not discuss it now, it will expand. No one can stop it,” said Phay Than, a Rakhine political analyst.

Two clashes occurred near Ye Naut Ngar Thar and Ngaran Chaung villages in early November last year, but the conflict was resolved through intermediaries.

Clashes broke out between government forces and the AA in the Pichaung area west of the Kaladan River in Kyauktaw Township on January 17, but no gunfire was reported.

“There are now more than 100,000 refugees in Rakhine. There will be more. This is the nature of war. Fighting will continue as long as the military junta takes root, as it is the duty of all oppressed people to fight the oppressors”, said Ko Zaw Win, a local from Kyauk Taw township.

The clashes could escalate and increase the number of refugees, and lead to arbitrary arrests by military council members. Therefore, locals need to be careful at all times, he added.

The military council in Kyauktaw has imposed a two-month curfew from 9PM to 5AM, and more military deployment is underway in northern Rakhine State townships, according to the locals.

More than 200,000 have already been displaced by fighting in Rakhine State. Most are staying in IDP (internally displaced people) camps.