Arakha Times (13 December 2024)
The military council in Sittwe Township, Rakhine State, is preparing to relocate families of regional military command bases, (Daska) local residents told the Arakha Times.
The move is likely in response to a potential Rakhine offensive in Sittwe, according to locals.
“The families are being moved by loading all their belongings onto government ships to relocate them. The Daska will assist with the relocation,” one local said.
As for the remaining towns of Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung, Manaung can be evacuated easily as it is a separate island. Kyaukphyu is being jointly defended by Chinese security forces and the military council, so Sittwe is likely to be taken first, according to political analysts.
In addition, military council forces have been conducting house-to-house searches in neighbourhoods in Sittwe since December 11, according to local residents.
The exact reason for the raids is unclear, but locals believe it is because eight military council members are missing and bombs have been found.
“Since yesterday, they have been entering neighbourhoods in Sittwe. I don’t know what is going on. They are opening and searching houses. I haven’t heard of any arrests yet. They have been searching since the morning and are currently in the northern part of the village. They haven’t reached our area yet. I don’t know why they are searching. They don’t say anything. If they find items that can be easily carried, such as phones and power banks, they take them. They don’t even ask for them back. Some people have reported that they opened drawers and took the money they found,” a local resident told the Arakha Times.
On December 2, some Rakhine news outlets reported that a military council naval support ship left Yangon, carrying new military recruits, food supplies, and weapons and ammunition to Kyaukphyu or Sittwe.
Political analysts believe that the military council is taking these actions to increase security in Sittwe and Kyaukphyu and to defend against possible attacks on the city.
