Hundreds of Bombs Dropped as Intense Fighting Continues at Nat Yay Kan Base

Narinjara, August 7, 2026

Close-quarters combat has intensified in the Battle of Nat Yay Kan (Spirit Pond) , marking one of the fiercest and longest clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar junta military in recent history. Reports indicate that the junta air force has launched a massive aerial campaign, dropping hundreds of bombs on the area.

The aerial bombardment peaked on the night of August 6, when two fighter jets and a Y-12 transport aircraft dropped more than 100 bombs on locations surrounding Natyekan.

The escalations follow a series of battlefield setbacks for the regime. On August 4 and 5, junta Y-8 aircraft attempted to airdrop weapons and food provisions to trapped regime forces.

However, a military source told Narinjara that the AA intercepted and seized several of the supply packages. Furthermore, AA forces targeted junta soldiers attempting to retrieve the remaining supplies with heavy weapons fire, resulting in multiple military casualties.

Perched on the Rakhine Roma mountain range at an altitude of 5,208 feet, the Nat Yay Kan Air Defense Strategic Base holds immense tactical importance.

Military analysts note that the Myanmar military originally constructed the base to provide air defense capabilities along the border with Bangladesh.

Geographically, this strategic installation sits directly between the Magway Air Force Base in central Myanmar and the former Western Command headquarters in Ann, Rakhine State.

Recognizing its critical value, the junta has attempted to deploy thousands of reinforcements to prevent the base from falling.

However, reinforcing troops have been unable to penetrate the terrain or reach the mountain, forcing the military to rely almost exclusively on airstrikes to hold off opposition forces.

The Arakan Army and its allied forces have maintained a tight siege around the Nat Yay Kan base for years, forcing the regime to rely entirely on aerial supply drops for food and ammunition.

Despite the junta deploying two major assault units, the 10th and 17th Infantry Divisions, to break through the blockade and secure the outpost, they have failed to breach the AA lines.

Commenting on the grueling nature of the siege, CDM Captain Zin Yaw described the isolated Nat Yay Kanair defense base on the Rakhine Roma Mountain as a "living grave" for the Myanmar military.