Naung Min Thu, Narinjara News, 23 May 2024

"Many artillery shells were transported to the5th border guard police battalion in five cars. We also observed a significantnumber of soldiers coming," said a local witness.

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

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

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

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

In March and April, there were four instances ofsending reinforcements including soldiers, weapons, food items and fuel toMaungdaw through Kanyin Chaung economic zone.

During that period, landing barges charged Kyats300,000 for a government employee and Kyats 500,000 per civilian for travellingto Sittwe.

After the Arakha Army (AA) captured Hla Phoe Khaung10th border guard police battalion, it became unsafe for landing barges to dockat Kanyin Chaung economic zone. So reinforcements were ferried to Maungdawpoint of entry-exit jetty using motorboats from landing barges anchored in Nafriver.

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