Myanmar junta attacks from three directions in Rakhine, putting pressure on Arakan Army

International Desk

Rakhine, September 9, 2025: Fierce fighting has broken out on the border of Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Myanmar’s military junta is trying to push the Arakan Army (AA) back into the western state from three directions. After liberating almost all of Rakhine, the ethnic rebel group has expanded its operations into neighboring Magway, Bago and Ayeyarwady regions.

The AA said two hours of intense fighting with two junta battalions took place near Sum Tat village in Ngape township, Magway, on Thursday. The junta forces were forced to retreat, leaving behind the bodies of their soldiers, weapons, ammunition and equipment. Sum Tat village is located on the Aung-Padan road, about 9 km east of the Rakhine-Magway border. Clashes have also intensified in Bago region.

The AA said junta forces have deployed more than 1,500 troops, most of them conscripts, to retake lost bases in Padaung Township. In addition, clashes are taking place daily near the Rakhine border as the junta attacks AA-held territory in Ayeyarwady’s Lemyethna Township. Fighting has also intensified inside Rakhine.

The AA has stepped up attacks to capture Kyaukpyu, which is home to major Chinese-backed projects, including a special economic zone, a deep-sea port and an oil and gas pipeline terminal in Yunnan province. Junta-backed Telegram channels reported that junta forces recaptured a power supply substation in Kyaukpyu on Thursday.

The AA is a member of the Brotherhood Alliance, which includes the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). In October 2023, they launched Operation 1027 in Northern Shan State, capturing most of Northern Shan State and Mogo in Mandalay Region. The AA expanded their operations in Rakhine, liberating 14 of 17 townships and Paletwa township in neighboring Chin State. The ongoing conflict has caused widespread civilian suffering, and analysts believe that the crisis is unlikely to be resolved without international intervention.