They informed Narinjara News that the soldiers with full weapons entered into downtown areas ofRathedaung, Ponna Kyunt and Sittwe townships.
The soldiers were accompanied by some policemen also and they moved inRathedaung locality after 8 pm on 19 September.
"The junta forces tookpolicemen with them and entered into the town after 8 pm. Our area faced thecyclone Mocha and witnessed a lot of damage. Now they are worried if anotherbattle between the military council and the Arakan Army (AA) may erupt soon,”said a local resident.
Similarly, the Ponna Kyunt residents also informed that the junta troopswere moving with their vehicles in their areas for some days.
"They moved after 8 o'clock in the night with two cars and threemotorcycles and wandered the city," he added.
Meanwhile in Sittwe, the soldiers have been stopping pedestrians duringthe day time and checking their cars and motorcycles.
In the last few days, soon after a member belonging to Daw Saw MyaRazalin's Arakan Liberation Party was killed by the gunmen, the soldiersstarted patrolling during night hours in various localities.
The soldiers have also entered in several villages under Taungup, KyaukPhyu, Man Aung, Thandwe townships andchackedthe locals on the roads.
The soldiers often inspect the motorcycle boxes of riders and alsoquestion them about the AA camps.
The junta troops even carried out drone reconnaissance over Buthidaung,Rathedaung and Mrauk U townships in July to identify the locations of AAmilitary bases.
Both the military council and AA leaders agreed for an informalceasefire in November 2022.
AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha expressed concern that the soldiers wereunnecessarily checking the local residents and also imposing restrictions ontransportation of goods in the Rakhine region, which is no other than theviolation of ceasefire rules.
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