Arakan Army Repels Myanmar Junta Offensive Near Strategic Mountain Pass

AA Info Desk / Weapons and ammunition captured by the Arakan Army during clashes in Thaphanyaung, Mindon Township.

The Arakan Army (AA) intercepted and repelled a major Myanmar military offensive in Magway Region’s Mindon Township, blocking junta forces from advancing toward a strategic mountain pass into Arakan State, military sources and local reports said.

Intense clashes have raged over the past ten days near Kankyoegyi Village and the Point 948 hilltop camp.

The military regime deployed a large column from western Mindon in an attempt to breach AA-controlled territory via the Maei mountain pass—a critical gateway connecting Magway and Arakan State.

"The military launched a large-scale offensive with significant troop numbers," a local ground source told DMG. "However, after suffering heavy casualties, junta forces were forced to retreat."

Ground military sources reported that an entire junta battalion sustained severe losses before pulling back. In a statement issued on September 22, the Arakan Army confirmed it had seized weapons, ammunition, military gear, and several bodies left behind on the battlefield.

Despite the retreat, the junta has continued to launch daily airstrikes around the combat zone using jet fighters, Y-12 transport planes, and paramotors, accompanied by heavy artillery bombardment.

"Heavy airstrikes continue to target the former battlefields," a ground source added.

The Mindon-Maei axis has become a major frontline since junta forces launched their latest push on September 10. Facing resistance on multiple fronts, the military regime has repeatedly attempted to break through the Magway-Arakan and Ayeyarwady-Arakan borders to regain access to the region.