Arakan Army seizes control of another Rakhine town

The Arakan Army (AA) claimed it controls the island town of Ramree near the major Chinese special economic zone (SEZ) on the southern Rakhine State coast after nearly three months of fighting.

Ramree Township shares an island with Kyaukphyu Township where the Kyaukphyu deep sea port developed by the Kyaukphyu SEZ Deep Seaport Co Ltd, a joint venture between the China International Trust and Investment Corporation Group’s Myanmar Port Investment Co and the junta-backed Kyaukphyu SEZ Management Committee.

The projects are key to the 1,700km China-Myanmar Economic Corridor connecting Yunnan province to the Indian Ocean as part of the wider Belt and Road Initiative. The junta has been fortifying Kyaukphyu Township for several months.

Despite airlifting in a large number of troops and repeated shelling and airstrikes, the junta reportedly lost Ramree to the AA on Monday.

The junta has made no comment.

Clashes in Ramree began in mid-December and the public hospital, markets, schools and religious buildings have largely been destroyed.

(With inputs from The Irrawaddy)