Aug 13 , NarijaraThe junta forces have been encircling the Sittwe town with barbed wires starting from strand road, said a resident adding that they have started working on fencing since the first week of August.

"They are erecting  a fence around Sittwe, putting up to  6-foot-high barriers on top of the wall along strand road. They have now begun work near Min Gyi Kyauk Tan," added the resident.

The purpose of the fencing is to restrict residents' movement inside Sittwe and to prevent the Arakan Army (AA) fighters from entering the town.

"Primarily, this is intended to make it difficult for the people to travel. The Kaladan river banks stretch and the fencing are meant to block the residents from moving. They are also seemingly concerned about the AA fighters and hence the fence is erected to prevent them  from entering the town easily," asserted the resident.

Another resident informed that electric current may also be applied in the fencing to make it more dangerous.

"They are currently putting up barbed wires and plan to use electric shocks. As they are worried about AA fighters, they may use the electricity to prevent them," added the resident.

Since last month, the military soldiers are transporting concrete and wooden poles, along with bags of cement, from Yangon to Sittwe by the waterways for the fence.

Narinjara News contacted U Hla Thein, junta’s spokesman for Arakan State, but could not receive a response over the construction of fencing.

The junta has also planted naval mines around Sittwe, which is surrounded by Kaladan river and the sea, to enhance the security around the township.

Meanwhile, many civilians are being arrested and they may be used as human shields in the coming days.

Till date, the AA fighters have captured Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Pauktaw, Myebon, Ramree (Yanbye), Rathedaung, Buthidaung and Taung Pyo townships in Arakan State along with Paletwa in Chin State.

Currently, they are intensifying the offensive to capture Maungdaw and Thandwe towns.