A military council soldier who defected to the Arakan Army (AA) has revealed that at least 15 military council personnel, including a Lieutenant Colonel from Infantry Battalion 15 and a Major from Infantry Battalion 14, were killed at Nat Yay Kan camp in Ngape Township, Magway Region, near the Rakhine Yoma mountain range. The incidents occurred during battles that took place after May 5, 2025. The defector, Nay Thu Myar, who was from Training Batch 10 and served under Infantry Battalion 15 of Division 99, arrived at Nat Yay Kan camp via Artillery Unit 409 in May 2025. He defected to the AA on July 27. The Nat Yay Kan camp serves as an air defense position and is located at a strategic point.
According to Nay Thu Myar’s testimony, AA forces conducted both day and night sniper attacks, resulting in approximately 20 military council casualties, with 5 wounded and 15 killed. Notably, a military council sniper was killed by an AA sniper shot to the back of the head while attempting to target AA forces. The AA also launched artillery attacks that resulted in casualties among military council forces, including the tactical commander and 13 others, of whom 3 were killed and 10 were severely wounded. During a battle in July, a Major from Infantry Battalion 14 was decapitated by an AA attack while washing his face early in the morning.
Currently, the Arakan Army has captured several strategic positions along the Rakhine-Magway border, including the Border Pagoda Hill camp, Gut Say Yor camp, and Katunkyi camp. The AA, in cooperation with other allied forces and People’s Defense Forces, is now conducting offensive operations to capture the Nat Yay Kan camp (Air Defense Position). The Nat Yay Kan camp, located in Padan military zone of Ngape Township, Magway Region, is a significant strategic base, and the military council is defending it with substantial forces.
The defector’s revelations provide insight into the intensity of the fighting and the significant losses suffered by military council forces in the region. The AA’s coordinated attacks, using both precision sniper fire and artillery, have proven effective against the military council’s defensive positions. The strategic importance of the Nat Yay Kan camp, particularly its role in air defense, makes it a crucial objective in the ongoing conflict. The military council continues to reinforce and defend the position while facing sustained pressure from AA forces and their allies.
