RAKHINE STATE – At least 700 junta forces including Infantry Division Commander Colonel Than Soe Win and battalion commanders were killed and weapons, armoured vehicles and POWs were captured during the battles in Gwa, the Arakan Army (AA) announced.
AA attacked light infantry 562 and 563 based in Gwa starting December 15 and successively captured the two battalions one after another by December 29 noon.
In addition to the Gwa based battalions, AA is also reported to have attacked and successfully repelled the reinforcements from light infantry 4 under division 66, light infantry 214, 215 and 217 under division 11, and infantry 36, 38, 93, 271 and light infantry 308 under the South West Command.
Based on the interrogation of captured POWs, it is learned that the junta council desperately defended against the offensive of the Arakan Army using various methods including the use of tanks, air and navy supports, deploying a large number of reinforcement troops under the command of Division 11 Commander Colonel Than Soe Win and assisted by two strategists, Colonel Myo Nyunt Oo and Colonel Kyaw Zin Htike but Gwa became the southern most city captured by the Arakan Army in Rakhine State after two weeks of battles.
It is said that the junta council defended Gwa with over 1,200 troops but lost to the offensive of AA. Several commanders including Colonel Than Soe Win were killed and many soldiers of other ranks also died in battle while armoured vehicles damaged during the battle, weapons and military equipment and multiple prisoners of war were captured.
AA stated that at least 700 enemy troops were estimated to have been killed in the battles in Gwa according to the dead bodies, words from the POWs and confiscated documents.
