The Arakan Army (AA) captured Taung Kot town in Rakhine State on November 20 and evacuated residents trapped in the town, according to local residents. The Military council said that about 200 detainees held in the Taung Kot town police station had been transferred to their battalion bases before the AA attacked.
The AA has been attacking Taung Kot town since November 4 and has now captured the town and surrounding areas, according to a local resident of Taung Kot. “The AA has now taken control of Taung Kot town and its surroundings. The soldiers in the town have withdrawn to the army. The AA has evacuated residents. The more than 200 detainees in the town police station have been transferred to the army. They don’t know what the situation is yet.”
Taungkot Township is headquarters of the Military Council Army’s 5th Operations Command. In addition, there are the 544th Infantry Regiment, 346th Infantry Regiment, 926th Support battalion, and a field engineer battalion. The AA is also attacking these battalions, and using excessive air and artillery fire, causing some houses in the urban areas to burn down, according to locals.
Taungkot Township is located about sixty miles from Kyauk phyu, where Chinese projects are located, and is the only operational command headquarters in southern Rakhine State. The AA has captured Than dwe Township, which is adjacent to Taungkot Township, and fighting is also ongoing in Ann Township, where the Western Region Command is located, and Gwe Township, which is adjacent to Ayeyarwady Region.
There are three operational command headquarters in Rakhine State, of which 15 are located in Buthidaung and 9 are located in Kyauk taw. The AA has captured 10 out of 17 townships in Rakhine State and Paletwa Township in Chin State.
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