Thinzar Nwe & Min Shin Saw, Narinjara News, 20October 2024

Due to intense fighting, the aircrafts were unable toland at Ann airport and hence the junta air dropped food and other militarysupplies for the western command.

During the airdrop, the Arakan Army (AA) fighterstargeted the junta soldiers with sniper fire as they attempted to collect thedropped weapons and food packages, resulting in many casualties.  Thesoldiers were unable to retrieve the packages.

“I saw from a distance that an aircraft airdroppedmilitary weapons with two parachutes near the airfield. The road to themainland is now closed and the fighting in the area is very intense,” said aresident of Ann

The junta's air forces dropped nearly 20 packages ofweapons and other military equipment near Chaung Kaing Khon area in between 2:30 and 3:00 pm on 18 October.

“Each drop had two packages and we observed around 10airdrops. They dropped those items near a location called Chaung Kaing Khon,but the supplies remain undelivered. The junta soldiers who attempted tocollect those supplies were killed by the AA snipers,” added the resident.

The AA fighters have also blocked all access roads,including the Minbu-Ann road, making it difficult for the junta forces totransport military supplies to Ann by any vehicle.

A female resident of Ann informed Narinjara News thatthe intense fighting was going  behind the medical corps and office of themilitary security affairs head.

She also added that the Ann-Padan-Minbu road remainsclosed because of the intense fighting and thousands of residents are stilltrapped in the locality.

“We are trapped in the town. The sound of bombing isalso heard loud. It’s scary,” she stated

The  junta warplanes dropped bombs at least 20times on Kyaung Phyu Kwin, Yat Thar Ywar Thit, Pyin Taw Gyi, Gway Kaing and YatThar Ywar Haung villages near Ann town at 9 pm on Friday.