Junta attacks deepen livelihood crisis for displaced people in Werathani
Displaced civilians taking refuge in Werathani Township, Arakan State, are facing mounting survival and livelihood hardships amid continued aerial bombardments, naval shelling and artillery attacks by junta warships and artillery units based at the Regional Operations Command (ROC) in Sittwe.
DMG Newsroom
4 November 2026, Werathani
Displaced civilians taking refuge in Werathani Township, Arakan State, are facing mounting survival and livelihood hardships amid continued aerial bombardments, naval shelling and artillery attacks by junta warships and artillery units based at the Regional Operations Command (ROC) in Sittwe.
Junta jet fighters, navy warships and heavy artillery units routinely launch attacks on Werathani town and surrounding coastal villages.
"When junta airstrikes occur, it creates immense hardship for local residents," a displaced person in Werathani told DMG. "If possible, we want this war to end as quickly as possible. The public lives in constant fear, and the military's actions are driving displaced families deeper into distress."
Local residents in Werathani rely heavily on fishing for their livelihoods and depend almost exclusively on waterways for transportation. However, movement across the area has been severely restricted.
Tens of thousands of displaced civilians are sheltering across Werathani Township without receiving humanitarian assistance. As junta warships routinely fire at and detain local fishermen, residents are unable to go out to sea, depriving them of their daily food and income.
"Displaced families are facing dire challenges on all fronts," Ma Do Lay, a local humanitarian worker, told DMG. "When emergencies arise, people lack even the basic funds required to pay for boat ferry fares to cross the river and seek assistance. Due to the constant dangers of airstrikes and artillery shelling, they urgently require shelter, food, and emergency healthcare services."
More than 100 displaced households, comprising over 400 people, are currently sheltering in Hsintetmaw Village, Werathani Township.
Of these, more than 20 households are facing particularly severe living conditions and require immediate emergency assistance.
Civilian casualties across Werathani Township continue to rise as the military junta intensifies its aerial and artillery bombardments.
On November 1, junta aircraft bombed Werathani town and Ywachaunggyi Village, injuring five local residents, including three women and two men.
Meanwhile, intense ground battles between the military junta and the Arakan Army continue on Ngapyi Island along the Sittwe–Werathani border. Daily naval shelling by junta warships and continued airstrikes have heightened fear among local residents and displaced communities.
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