Major Win Than, the deputy commander of Infantry Battalion 211, was killed by sniper fire from the Arakan Army (AA) while returning from reporting to his battalion commander after being transferred to Kyaukphyu Township in Rakhine State. Major Win Than had previously served as a Second-Class Staff Officer (Military Affairs A2) at the Northern Command Headquarters in Myitkyina before being transferred to the battalion in Kyaukphyu via air travel on May 26. Upon arrival in Kyaukphyu by aircraft, he went to report to the battalion commander’s camp, and was shot by an AA sniper while returning from this reporting duty.
The deceased Major Win Than’s wife is known to be serving as a notoriously strict Deputy Police Inspector in Myitkyina. According to current military sources, the AA has gained the upper hand in the ongoing battles in Kyaukphyu Township, with the military council forces suffering increasing casualties. Notably, many of the casualties include new recruits, with significant losses among soldiers from training batches 9 and 10. The rising death toll among new recruits highlights the military council’s increasing reliance on inexperienced personnel in active combat zones.
Furthermore, the ongoing conflicts in Kyaukphyu Township have led to a surge in defections from military forces, with hundreds of soldiers reportedly surrendering and defecting to the AA, according to AA sources. This increasing rate of defections is seen as an indicator of declining morale within the military council forces and reflects the AA’s tactical advantages in the region. The situation demonstrates the growing challenges faced by the military council in maintaining its control over the area, while the AA continues to strengthen its position through both military success and the integration of defectors from the opposing forces.
