Over 30 junta troops surrender to Arakan Army in battle for strategic Nat Yay Kan base

By Admin 06 Jun 2026

DMG Newsroom

6 June 2026, Ngaphe, Magway Region

More than 30 junta troops have surrendered to the Arakan Army (AA) over the past two months amid intense fighting for control of the strategically important Nat Yay Kan tactical base on the Arakan mountain range along the border between Arakan State and Magway Region, according to field sources.

Military sources told DMG that the surrendering troops were stationed at the Nat Yay Kan tactical hilltop base in Ngaphe Township, Magway Region.

"Just yesterday, another junta soldier surrendered. The defectors include both officers and rank-and-file troops. We estimate that more than 30 regime personnel have surrendered over the past two months, and all have been safely transferred to rear areas," a frontline military source said.

Following the loss of Ann Township, home to the military's Western Command headquarters, the regime heavily reinforced the Nat Yay Kan tactical base as a key defensive position. The base is considered crucial to protecting Magway Region, where several state-owned weapons factories are located.

The base has been encircled by the Arakan Army and allied resistance forces for an extended period, cutting off ground reinforcement and supply routes and prompting some junta troops to surrender, according to sources.

Clashes around the base have intensified in recent days, with junta forces reportedly suffering heavy casualties.

Ground sources said the regime attempted to reinforce the base last week by sending two truckloads of troops through Pazi Village. However, because the Arakan Army and allied forces control transport routes near Gotegyi Village, the military has been forced to rely on Y-12 aircraft to airdrop food supplies to troops stationed at the base.

According to frontline sources, many of the airdropped supplies fail to reach their intended destination and instead land in areas controlled by the Arakan Army.

The Arakan Army said all surrendered personnel are being treated humanely and in accordance with international laws governing prisoners of war.

The Arakan Army currently controls Gotegyi, Pazi and Kyetchan villages surrounding the base. In response, the regime has carried out daily airstrikes using jet fighters, Y-12 aircraft and combat drones, while also conducting artillery attacks.

"The positions at that base rely on an all-around defensive system, meaning the troops are effectively trapped. Soldiers are constantly rotated between trenches and bunkers, leaving them mentally and physically exhausted," said Captain Zin Yaw, a military defector.

"Sustained casualties have created fear among the troops. Despite warnings about minefields surrounding the area, some junta soldiers are still risking their lives to desert," he added.

Although the regime continues to suffer losses in the battle for Nat Yay Kan, it has managed to maintain its positions through continuous troop deployments. However, Captain Zin Yaw said desertion rates could increase with the arrival of the monsoon season.

"Desertions are likely to rise during the rainy season because malaria is widespread in the area. Many newly recruited conscripts have no combat or field experience. The combination of illness and battlefield pressure could drive more soldiers to desert," he said.

The Arakan Army and allied resistance forces launched their offensive against the Nat Yay Kan tactical base and nearby outposts in late January 2025.

According to military sources, the regime has deployed large numbers of newly conscripted and inexperienced troops to the frontlines in an effort to hold the position.

Military observers say that if the Nat Yay Kan base falls, the Arakan Army and allied forces could threaten key weapons factories in Magway Region, gain control of the strategic Pathein-Monywa road, and open a new route for further military operations.