The Arakan Army (AA) has reportedly encircled Myanmar military’s Western Command near Ann town.
A town resident told The Irrawaddy on Thursday: “The fighting is around 300 meters from the headquarters. It went on all night.”
Junta aircraft strafed the area on Thursday.
The AA and its allies have seized Light Infantry Battalion 373, a security affairs battalion and a military hospital in Ann Township and are attacking an artillery battalion and ordnance depot near the Western Command, according to residents.
The armed group encircled the town since it seized the roads to Tattaung, the state capital Sittwe, Maei in Taungup Township and Minbu in Magwe Region.
An Ann resident said: “I heard the AA is attacking from four directions. Patients from the military hospital on the Sittwe-Ann road have been moved to a high school near the Western Command. The AA seized Ann Airport. Ann may fall in a week.”
Ann is strategically located, linking Rakhine State with central Myanmar. The Student Armed Force and other resistance groups, including People’s Defense Forces, from Magwe Region are fighting alongside the AA in Ann.
In April, the AA captured the Taw Hein Taung operations headquarters defending the junta hub about 32km from Ann town.
The AA seized another key base at Mae Taung around 11km from Ann earlier this month.
The Western Command headquarters is 3km west of the town and Light Infantry Battalion 373, the security battalion, hospital, artillery battalion and ordnance depot are clustered around the command headquarters.
The junta still controls Light Infantry Battalions 371 and 372 and a military police battalion in Ann town.
