Junta personnel, police and families evacuate Sittwe for mainland Myanmar

By Admin 05 Mar 2026

DMG Newsroom

5 March 2026, Sittwe

Amid escalating clashes in Sittwe, more than 400 junta personnel, police officers and their family members have reportedly evacuated to mainland Myanmar via waterway.

According to Sittwe residents, 15 vehicles were transported by ship from Sittwe to mainland Myanmar on March 3. Each vehicle was estimated to carry about 30 people, bringing the total number of evacuees to more than 400.

“A convoy of vehicles headed toward the port on March 2, and they were relocated by ship the following day. It is understood that they had applied for transfers to their preferred locations since the fighting began to intensify,” a female resident of Sittwe told DMG.

Fierce clashes are currently unfolding between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) in Sittwe Township.

The Arakan Army is reportedly launching offensives against military outposts near Zawmadat Village and the Shwe Mingan naval station on the border between Sittwe and Ponnagyun townships.

Residents reported that junta battalions stationed in Sittwe have been firing heavy artillery toward areas bordering Ponnagyun Township, with continuous shelling heard again today.

“I heard at least two rounds of heavy artillery fire today. I’m not sure exactly where they were aiming, but they have been shelling the Kuntaung area daily,” another Sittwe resident added.

Within Sittwe city, the military regime and members of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) are conducting frequent overnight guest list inspections, leading to the arrest of several local residents.

The Arakan Army has surrounded and blockaded Sittwe from all sides and is attempting to expand its controlled territory by launching offensives against military bases on the Sittwe side via Wahbo Island.

In response, the military regime has reinforced its presence in Sittwe, deploying armored vehicles to the Sittwe–Ponnagyun border and increasing its naval strength in the area.