Weekly Highlights from Arakan (November 2-8, 2026)

By Admin 09 Nov 2026

In an era when daily news from Arakan is often fragmented and fast-changing, DMG's Weekly Highlights of Arakan brings clarity, depth, and context to the stories that matter most.

Each week, we round up key political, military, social, and humanitarian developments across Arakan State - connecting the dots between events and offering analysis to help audiences see the bigger picture.

This series is designed for readers and viewers seeking a concise yet comprehensive understanding of how ongoing conflict, governance shifts, and community issues continue to shape lives across Arakan.

Junta airstrike kills pregnant woman, injures 12 in Mrauk-U village

A pregnant woman was killed and 12 other civilians were injured when the military junta launched an airstrike on Nankyar Village in Mrauk-U Township, Arakan State, at least several residential houses were also damaged, according to local residents.

The airstrike occurred at approximately 11:25 p.m. on November 5, when a fighter jet dropped a bomb near the village, which is located close to the Mrauk-U–Anjanapura Road.

The victim was identified as 35-year-old Daw Thae Thae Mon, who was pregnant at the time of the attack. Eleven other injured residents were identified as U Aung Kyaw Zaw, Daw Aye Aye, U Maung Ni Tun, U Tun Win, Daw Ma Hla Nu, Daw Lone Pu, Maung Than Naing, U Kyaw Tun Sein, Daw Than Than Soe, Ma Pa Pa Win Hlaing and Ma Aye Aye Than.

On November 1, the military junta also bombed a temporary maternity ward and healthcare clinic in Htanmarit Ward, Mrauk-U, killing five civilians, including a newborn, and injuring nine others.

Having lost control of most of Arakan State, the military junta has increasingly relied on airstrikes, with residential areas and civilians repeatedly affected by aerial attacks.

Civilians across Arakan State continue to face physical and psychological insecurity amid the threat of military airstrikes.

Junta’s planned Manaung Airport expansion raises fears of military use

The military junta is planning to expand the runway at Manaung Airport in Manaung Township, Arakan State, an area under regime control, to allow larger commercial and transport aircraft to land.

Under the pretext of facilitating passenger travel for local residents, runway expansion work has reportedly begun, with residents saying larger aircraft will replace the small planes currently in service, which carry around 10 passengers.

Local residents said the small aircraft currently operating on the Manaung–Yangon route can carry only around 10 passengers per flight.

Air services to Manaung Island were suspended following the February 2021 military coup and resumed on April 24, 2026.

Because the military regime has blockaded Manaung Island and severed land and water transport links with the rest of Arakan State, residents must rely exclusively on-air travel.

While the regime has set the official fare for a Manaung–Yangon flight at K630,000, travelers say actual ticket prices on the black market have risen to more than K2 million.

Flights operate three days a week, connecting Manaung with Yangon, Kyaukphyu and Sittwe, with tickets jointly sold by Myanmar National Airlines and Manaung Public Company.

More than 500 people have applied to the Manaung General Administration Department for permission to travel to Yangon. However, many patients requiring urgent medical treatment face severe hardship because tickets remain unobtainable.

Although the regime claims the expansion is intended to improve public transport, local residents are deeply concerned that the airport could be used for military logistics.

The current runway expansion follows campaign promises made in November 2025 by Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) Chairman U Ba Shein, who advocated expanding Manaung Airport and restoring regular flight services.

Of the three remaining urban areas under regime control in Arakan State, Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung, Manaung Island has not yet experienced active ground battles.

However, the regime's restrictions on transport and communications have contributed to rising prices of basic commodities, causing severe economic hardship for working-class residents.

Meanwhile, the military junta has reinforced its military presence on Manaung Island by deploying additional naval forces and warships in the surrounding coastal waters.

Junta airstrike destroys Yoe Creek Bridge, kills seven in Kyauktaw

Vital regional transport routes have been severely disrupted after the Yoe Creek Bridge in Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State, was destroyed in an airstrike carried out by the military junta.

At around 5:00 p.m. on November 1, junta jet fighters dropped two bombs on the approach to the Yoe Creek Bridge on the Wa Taung Village side. The bridge is located along the Kyauktaw–Ponnagyun section of the Yangon–Sittwe Road.

The airstrike killed seven travelers and injured 10 others.

The bridge's superstructure was severely damaged, while motorcycles, sidecars, residential houses and local shops in the immediate vicinity were also damaged or destroyed.

The Yoe Creek Bridge is a 420-foot-long Bailey-type bridge.

The bombed site also serves as a vital transit jetty where travelers from the Yoe Creek basin board vehicles to reach townships such as Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Ponnagyun. The attack therefore caused heavy casualties among drivers, commuters and local vendors.

Residents of Ponnagyun, Sittwe, Rathedaung, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships who rely on this transport route reported facing severe transportation and mobility challenges.

On November 1 alone, junta airstrikes targeted Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Werathani and Kyaukphyu townships, killing 12 people, including a newborn infant, and injuring 32 others.

The military regime routinely carries out airstrikes targeting public roads, bridges, hospitals, clinics and residential neighbourhoods.

On September 28, the regime also bombed the Kisspanadi Bridge in Kyauktaw.

Junta steps up aerial attacks on IDP camps across Arakan

The military regime has intensified aerial attacks on internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in areas controlled by the Arakan Army, putting displaced civilians at increasing risk.

At around 12:15 p.m. on November 2, a junta gyrocopter dropped two bombs on an IDP camp in Minpyin Village near Sanae in Kyaukphyu Township.

The bombing killed two displaced civilians and injured five others, while damaging shelters and killing livestock.

The military's use of gyrocopters to attack IDP camps in Kyaukphyu Township has triggered widespread panic among displaced populations.

Local residents said the junta carries out daily aerial attacks in Kyaukphyu Township using jet fighters, paramotors, gyrocopters and combat drones.

According to local sources, the targeted IDP camp near Minpyin Village is located roughly six miles from active battle zones between the military junta and the Arakan Army. Residents said there was no military presence in the area.

Fierce clashes between the military junta and the Arakan Army continue across Kyaukphyu Township. Residents accuse the regime of committing war crimes by targeting civilian villages with aerial attacks, naval shelling, heavy artillery and drone strikes.

In addition to Kyaukphyu, the military regime has repeatedly targeted IDP camps in Ponnagyun Township with aerial attacks.

On October 23, a junta airstrike on Pannilar Village in Ponnagyun Township killed one civilian and injured two others, including an internally displaced person.

Earlier, on October 5, a separate junta airstrike hit the Pannilar area, reportedly killing one displaced person and injuring four others.

On October 4, junta aircraft bombed the Byarla IDP camp, located between Thayetcho and Yoengu villages in Ponnagyun Township, killing six displaced civilians and injuring others.

Data compiled by DMG shows that junta airstrikes across Arakan State between January and October 2026 killed 209 civilians and injured 421 others.

Paddy harvesting fees reach K140,000 for three-quarters of an acre in Arakan

Farmers in Arakan State are anticipating losses as the paddy harvesting season begins, with harvesting fees and agricultural input costs continuing to rise, according to local farmers.

Harvesting of Kaukyin paddy has begun, with combine harvester fees reaching as much as K140,000 for three-quarters of an acre.

Diesel used to operate combine harvesters is currently priced at K24,000 per gallon and more than K1.3 million per barrel. Farmers fear that harvesting fees will rise further if fuel prices continue to increase.

Although harvesting fees are currently only slightly higher than last year's rates, farmers said prices could change depending on future fuel costs.

Farmers reported that they have faced high agricultural input costs since the beginning of the cultivation season, spending around K600,000 per three-quarters of an acre by harvest time. These expenses include ploughing, transplanting and fertilizer costs.

Currently, 100 baskets of Kaukyin paddy are worth nearly K800,000 in Arakan State. Farmers said they are operating at a loss, with no profit margin because of high production costs.

Junta attacks deepen livelihood crisis for displaced people in Werathani

Displaced civilians taking refuge in Werathani Township, Arakan State, are facing mounting survival and livelihood hardships amid continued aerial bombardments, naval shelling and artillery attacks by junta warships and artillery units based at the Regional Operations Command (ROC) in Sittwe.

Junta jet fighters, navy warships and heavy artillery units routinely launch attacks on Werathani town and surrounding coastal villages.

Local residents in Werathani rely heavily on fishing for their livelihoods and depend almost exclusively on waterways for transportation. However, movement across the area has been severely restricted.

Tens of thousands of displaced civilians are sheltering across Werathani Township without receiving humanitarian assistance. As junta warships routinely fire at and detain local fishermen, residents are unable to go out to sea, depriving them of their daily food and income.

More than 100 displaced households, comprising over 400 people, are currently sheltering in Hsintetmaw Village, Werathani Township.

Of these, more than 20 households are facing particularly severe living conditions and require immediate emergency assistance.

Civilian casualties across Werathani Township continue to rise as the military junta intensifies its aerial and artillery bombardments.

On November 1, junta aircraft bombed Werathani town and Ywachaunggyi Village, injuring five local residents, including three women and two men.

Meanwhile, intense ground battles between the military junta and the Arakan Army continue on Ngapyi Island along the Sittwe–Werathani border. Daily naval shelling by junta warships and continued airstrikes have heightened fear among local residents and displaced communities.