Intense fighting has been ongoing for several weeks between the combined forces of the Arakan Army (AA) and People’s Defense Force (PDF) against military council troops near Panhtaw Gyi village in Laymyethna Township, Ayeyarwady Region. According to military sources and local residents, the military council forces have suffered significant casualties during these engagements.
Starting from April 15, the military council has intensified its operations in Laymyethna Township, including launching military columns, increasing troop deployments, and establishing new outposts. In response, AA and PDF joint forces have conducted counter-attacks, resulting in daily clashes. The military council has not only engaged in ground battles but has also carried out continuous airstrikes in the area.
During the Thingyan festival period, heavy fighting occurred at a military council outpost in Panhtaw Gyi, with additional clashes continuing throughout the area between Ngathayinchaung and Laymyethna town. The military council has suffered numerous casualties, with wounded soldiers being continuously transported to hospitals in Pathein. Military sources confirm that hospitals are overwhelmed, with insufficient bed capacity to accommodate the high number of injured personnel.
As fighting intensifies in Laymyethna Township, the military council has been forced to continuously send reinforcements while simultaneously withdrawing outposts along various routes in the Ayeyarwady Region. Sources monitoring military movements in the area report that troops previously stationed at the Ngawun River Bridge have also been withdrawn. The ongoing battles have significantly impacted the military council’s ability to maintain its positions in the region, leading to strategic withdrawals and reorganization of their forces.
