Rathedaung villagers set up night watches amid Sittwe clashes, ARSA threat

By Admin 17 Sep 2026

DMG Newsroom

17 September 2026, Rathedaung

Residents in villages near the Mayu Mountain Range bordering Sittwe Township have established night watch posts due to ongoing heavy fighting in Sittwe and security concerns over reported Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) movements, local sources said.

With intense clashes raging in neighbouring Sittwe and Ponnagyun townships, several villages across Rathedaung Township have introduced rotating night sentry shifts to guard their communities.

Locals confirmed that rotating sentries are actively guarding villages situated at the foot of the Mayu Mountain Range, including Amyetya, Chutpyin, Yaynantha, and Aungzeya.

“Villages along the mountain range were directed to set up security posts,” a male resident from Rathedaung Township said. “We check incoming and outgoing strangers, question suspicious non-local individuals, and report them to the relevant authorities.”

Rathedaung Township shares borders with active conflict zones in Sittwe and Ponnagyun townships, remaining a highly tense military sector.

Last week, naval forces under the military regime attempted amphibious landings along the Rathedaung coastline following heavy naval artillery bombardments.

Community security measures were also heightened due to reports of ARSA insurgent movements infiltrating areas along the Mayu Mountain Range.

Following guidance issued by the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA), residents in several villages have constructed sentry posts and established rotational guard schedules.

“We were informed to take turns guarding the village,” another local resident said. “We have instituted similar security measures periodically in the past. It is necessary for local security.”

Villagers noted that the night patrols serve a dual purpose along the Mayu Range: mitigating potential threats from ARSA and preventing infiltration by Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) personnel operating out of Sittwe.

Communities near the Mayu Mountain Range in Rathedaung Township have historically implemented rotational night watch systems during periods of heightened insecurity.

The Arakan Army seized total control of Rathedaung Township on March 17, 2024, after capturing Light Infantry Battalions No. 536, 537, and 538.