Junta boosts military reinforcements to Maungdaw once again

Naung Min Thu, Narinjara News, 23 May 2024

"Many artillery shells were transported to the 5th border guard police battalion in five cars. We also observed a significant number of soldiers coming," said a local witness.

On 20 May morning, two landing barges anchored in Naf river and transported a large volume of military equipment to the 5th battalion via motorboats through the entry-exit jetty to Maungdaw.

"As Maungdaw is a border town, the military junta will defend it strongly. Although the fighting at 4-mile is currently stopped, the junta soldiers are still conducting airstrikes with jet fighters," he added.

Now anyone traveling from Maungdaw to Sittwe needs to pay between Kyats 800000 and 1 million to ride the landing barges on the return journey. If they go to Yangon, they have to pay up to Kyats 3 million.

"If you travel from Maungdaw to Sittwe by the landing barges, the fare will be Kyats 1 million. The journey to Yangon may cost up to Kyats 3 million. Wealthier Muslims are paying Kyats 3 million to visit Yangon,” said a Muslim resident of Maungdaw.

In March and April, there were four instances of sending reinforcements including soldiers, weapons, food items and fuel to Maungdaw through Kanyin Chaung economic zone.

During that period, landing barges charged Kyats 300,000 for a government employee and Kyats 500,000 per civilian for travelling to Sittwe.

After the Arakha Army (AA) captured Hla Phoe Khaung 10th border guard police battalion, it became unsafe for landing barges to dock at Kanyin Chaung economic zone. So reinforcements were ferried to Maungdaw point of entry-exit jetty using motorboats from landing barges anchored in Naf river.

This month, reinforcements were sent through the Maungdaw point of entry-exit jetty on two occasions (15 and 20 May).