AA offers Kyats 10 million reward for capturing alive NaKhaKha-5 commander Thurein Tun

Naung Min Thu, Narinjara News, 26 September 2024

The Arakan Army (AA) has offered  a reward of Kyats 10 million for capturing alive brigadier general Thurein Tun, commander of the 5th border guard police battalion (NaKhaKha-5) based in Maungdaw, said  local residents citing sources in the AA.

"We have learnt that the AA informed its fighters to capture Thurein Tun alive and get away with a reward of Kyats 10 million. Any other individual will also be awarded if they can catch the commander of 15th military operations command stationed at NaKhaKha-5,” said a local resident.

Narinjara News can not authenticate the information about the reward money of Kyats  10 million.

It’s still waiting for AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha’s response against a Telegram query.

NaKhaKha-5 serves as the headquarters for the 15th military operations command, based in Buthidaung and led by brigadier general Thurein Tun, who is currently resisting the AA offensive. Now the AA fighters are surrounding the camp from all four directions.

The soldiers, including those in NaKhaKha-5  found themselves with no means for escaping. Moreover, there is no condition for reinforcements. So the AA fighters asked  Thurein Tun to surrender considering the lives of other soldiers under his command.

The only way to supply food items and weapons to the battalion remains the air dropping.

"NaKhaKha-5 battalion is in a position to fall at any moment. The soldiers are not receiving  any supply even by the air dropping," said another resident.

On 20 September at around 3 pm,  the junta air dropped food items and weapons to NaKhaKha-5, but those landed outside their restricted areas. When the  junta soldiers tried to get the packages, they were chased by the AA fighters. Many soldiers even lost their lives in the conflict.

"Now the soldiers in NaKhaKha-5  are divided in opinions. Many even fled when they went to collect the air dropped supplies. Thurein Tun threatened to kill anyone who surrendered. But some soldiers are willing to surrender,” added the resident.

Thurein Tun also did not provide sufficient rations to the border guard personnel protecting NaKhaKha-5 and he ordered snipers in the battalion to kill anyone who attempted to retreat.

So the outposts had ultimately fallen into the hands of the AA.

On 23 September, the junta soldiers conducted three airstrikes near NaKhaKha-5 using their fighter jets. The residents reported that the airstrikes hit at 2:05 am, 3:50 am and 7 am on that day.