Myanmar junta forces continue airstrikes after retreating from Kan Kyaw offensive

Mizzima

Ground sources report that the Myanmar military junta has continued to launch airstrikes until this morning 23 September after their forces were forced to retreat during a clash with the Arakan Army (AA).

The junta had launched a large-scale offensive near Kan Kyaw village and Point (948) hill in Mindon Township, located on the border of Rakhine State and Magway Region.

The AA announced on September 22 that junta columns suffered heavy casualties during clashes near Kan Kyaw village and Point (948) hill in Mindon Township on September 20 and 21. Weapons, ammunition, military equipment, and several bodies of junta soldiers were reportedly seized.

Following the retreat of their columns on September 21, junta forces have been conducting continuous airstrikes with fighter jets targeting the clash sites, a ground source told Mizzima.

“They are bombing at least seven to eight times a day. They are targeting the areas where the clashes occurred and are launching round-the-clock attacks day and night,” the source said.

While ground clashes are temporarily quiet, residents report that due to the high number of casualties and injuries on the junta’s side, wounded soldiers are being transported to hospitals in Mindon and Thayet townships for treatment.

A ground source stated that Point (948) hill, currently controlled by the AA, is a key strategic location in the Kan Kyaw offensive and is vital for gaining access to the Arakan Mountain Range (Rakhine Yoma).

“They, the junta forces, must capture Kan Kyaw and Point (948) to ascend the mountain range. That ridge is the highest point after the main range. Now that their ground column has been repelled, they are resorting solely to continuous aerial bombings,” the source told Mizzima.

Point (948) is located adjacent to Kan Kyaw village and is known to be one of the highest hills among the ridges bordering the Rakhine Yoma. The source noted that capturing this position would facilitate the junta forces’ efforts to expand their operations further into the Arakan Mountains.

For this offensive, the junta forces reportedly established staging bases sequentially, starting from No. 12 Defence Industry Factory (Ka-Pa-Sa 12) in Thayet Township to Tha Hpan Yaung and Pyaung villages in Mindon Township. These villages are located in the flatlands at the foothills of the Rakhine Yoma and have easy communication links with Mindon town. Utilizing these locations as bases, the junta deployed columns to launch the offensive toward Kan Kyaw village, according to the source.

Although ground clashes near Kan Kyaw village have temporarily ceased, local residents are fleeing to safer areas due to the threat of airstrikes, and both sides are closely monitoring the military situation on the ground.