Hundreds of troops sent to Ayeyarwaddy region by interim government army, nearly half decimated, some units forced to withdraw

Hundreds of interim government troops sent to the Ayeyarwaddy Delta region of Ayeyarwaddy State have been decimated by more than half due to military tensions and fighting, with some units forced to withdraw, according to local sources. Although military tensions remain on the west bank of the Pathein (Ngawan) River, including in Yakyee, Sapaung, and Lemayna townships, troops stationed on the west bank of the Ngawan River in Sapaung Township withdrew with six military vehicles from Settaungji jetty in the second week of September. These units withdrew after suffering heavy casualties in the area. "More than a thousand troops entered Ayeyarwaddy towards the end of August and were forced to retreat towards Rakhine. Some troops were seen withdrawing in groups with vehicles. The main reason was casualties and severe injuries," a source told the Ayeyarwaddy Times. The military sent between 600 and 800 troops to the Ayeyarwaddy-Rakhine border in the last week of July and the first week of August, citing a landing operation and a complete blockade in southern Rakhine. Furthermore, it is known that approximately 1,500 troops were deployed in the last week of August, divided between the Southwestern Military Command and the border areas of Yakyee and Sapaung. In Kambargyi village, the military still maintains a tactical base and is burning residents' homes for firewood, as well as confiscating wood for the construction of temporary defensive walls and bunkers. At Settaungji jetty, the interim government army is daily confiscating fuel purchased by farmers for agriculture and demanding money. At the same time, it is reported that most of the religious buildings and royal palaces in Ngawton town were destroyed due to airstrikes by the military, which claimed that the Arakan Army (AA) and allied forces were stationed there.