Y-12 aircraft, drones circle over Sittwe as clashes intensify
Fierce clashes between the military junta and the Arakan Army (AA) are continuing across Sittwe Township, as junta forces reportedly carry out aerial bombing raids inside the city.
DMG Newsroom
23 October 2026, Sittwe
Fierce clashes between the military junta and the Arakan Army (AA) are continuing across Sittwe Township, as junta forces reportedly carry out aerial bombing raids inside the city.
Throughout the morning of October 23, Y-12 aircraft and reconnaissance drones were seen circling over Sittwe. At around 8:00 a.m., an aircraft reportedly dropped bombs on at least three locations in the city center.
Meanwhile, junta forces stationed at Shwe Min Gan Naval Base in Sittwe continued firing heavy artillery into surrounding areas, according to local residents.
“Aircraft were circling overhead all morning,” a female resident of Sittwe said. “When we initially heard the explosions, we assumed it was artillery fire. It was only when people came rushing back from the market in chaos that we learned aircraft had dropped bombs on the city.”
Fighting around Sittwe has reportedly intensified to within about four miles of the junta’s Regional Operations Command (ROC) headquarters.
Active clashes are taking place near Pardaleik, Tawkan and Kyarmathauk villages, as well as around Shwe Min Gan Naval Base. Naval artillery was also fired continuously toward nearby areas on the morning of October 23, according to local sources.
“The military junta is suffering heavy losses on the ground as combat around Sittwe intensifies,” a military observer monitoring Arakan State said. “That is why they resorted to dropping bombs on territory they control for the first time, attempting to construct a false narrative that the Arakan Army is shelling the city center. However, local residents living inside the city know the truth best.”
Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues on Ngapyi Island in Werathani Township, where junta forces have repeatedly attempted amphibious landings.
Continued aerial bombardment and heavy artillery fire in and around Sittwe have heightened security fears among residents who remain in the city.
Comments