Narinjara News, 3 June,  2025

The military council has reportedly persisted in shelling with heavy artillery in Kyaukphyu Township of Rakhine state despite declaring a temporary ceasefire from June 1 to 30. 

A woman in Kyaukphyu stated, “The military council is shooting daily, even during the ceasefire. The police unit is also shooting. I would suggest it’s even greater. They’re launching additional shots from the Dhanyawaddy Navy Headquarters. Due to the heavy rain, they haven't used drones to fire yet. They shoot when the sun is warm." 

In the continuing clashes close to Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State, the Arakan Army seems to have paused its offensive for now, and there have been no assaults on military council outposts or the 32nd Police Battalion following a ceasefire declared by three brotherhood alliances from June 1 to 30, she stated.

 "I believe the AA has halted its offensive. I don't hear any fighting. I only hear the noise of heavy artillery being fired by the military, despite the ceasefire. I believe they ought to stop using heavy weapons," she stated. 

A military source informed Narinjara News that the locations presently utilized for heavy weapons are the Dhanyawady Naval Headquarters, situated in Thit Pote Taung, Kyaukphyu Township, and the 32nd Police Battalion, located on the outskirts of Kyaukphyu, near several Chinese projects. 

"There is no AA attack. There are no firing weapons by AA. The battles have ceased. Only the military leadership fears the AA. They feel extremely frightened and are using heavy artillery. They fear that the AA will launch an assault.” 

A man who has been avoiding combat in Kyaukphyu mentioned that the public lacks trust in the ceasefire, despite its announcement by both factions. 

"Although a month has passed since the ceasefire, the villages remain inactive due to the presence of heavy weapons. I don't reside in the village, yet I wish to visit and observe the circumstances there, though I hesitate to go. Last month, amid the ceasefire, three women from the village died when a drone struck Laek Khamaw village," he stated. 

In April and May, amid the two-month truce between the military council and the three allied factions (AA+TNLA+MNDAA), the military council bolstered its forces, deployed troops, launched artillery strikes, and enlarged its outposts, as reported by military sources. 

The military council prolonged the ceasefire for an additional month from June 1 to June 31, while the three allied organizations declared their intention to extend the ceasefire for another month from June 2 to June 31. Following the declaration of the three fraternal alliances, both the alliances and the military council stated they will refrain from initiating any offensive actions on their part, except for self-defense purposes.