Fighting continues fiercely in Oh Taung, Kyaukphyu, with the military defending with drone bombs and naval support

Fighting has continued fiercely between the Arakan Army (AA) and the military government's forces near the Oh Taung village-based camp of the military government in Kyaukphyu Township, Rakhine State, on July 14, with the military government's forces defending using naval vessels and drones, according to local news sources. An AA ambush on July 11 in the evening on a military government column that departed from the Oh Taung camp, which had been reinforced from the Tanmaw naval base in Kyaukphyu, caused the military government's forces to retreat in disarray. It is reported that the AA seized a large number of weapons and ammunition, along with the bodies of deceased military government soldiers, during the battle. The remaining forces of the military government, which had been routed and forced to retreat in previous days, rejoined the troops in the Oh Taung camp and counter-attacked the AA on July 14, leading to fierce fighting between both sides. "We heard that another clash occurred between the military column that regrouped and retreated, and the AA that pursued them as they fled. From what I've heard, the military forces regrouped with the remaining soldiers and the rear unit and advanced again," a Kyaukphyu local told the Irrawaddy Times. According to local sources, the military government's forces, having suffered losses and their troops routed in previous battles, are defending in the July 14 fighting by dropping drone bombs from the air and providing artillery support from naval vessels. Although the military government's forces are attempting to control the territory in Kyaukphyu Township by utilizing naval power, they are suffering military defeats due to the AA's counter-offensives, and the military situation between both sides remains tense. Photo caption: Arakan Army (AA) troops (old photo)