A day after the military council bombed an Arakan Army (AA) base in Karen National Union's 5th brigade area near the Thai-Burmese border, Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing attended a naval exercise in the Rakhine coastal water.
At least six AA fighters were killed and several injured in the Burmese military attack carried out by two fighter jets on 4 July afternoon. A number of buildings were also destroyed in the bombing incident.
Next day chief of the ruling military council, senior general Hlaing graced the joint naval exercise (Sea shield-2022) in the Rakhine Sea.
Many of the battleships with names of ancient heroes (including combat submarines titled Min Ye Thein Kha Thu and Min Ye Kyaw Htin, frigates titled Sin Phyu Shin and Kyan Sit Thar) participated in the exercisethat began on 1July.
The attack on the AA base is not related to the naval exercise. It’s just a coincidence, said Pe Than, senior Rakhine politician as well as a former Pyithu Hluttaw member from Myebon township.
"I don't think both incidents are correlated. The exercise is designed for the Myanmar army personnel to prepare for any confrontations against the AA members in both air and sea. Two years back, the government forces could not defeat the AA members on the ground.
As the AA members are well trained on the ground, the military council may focus on air and sea, added Pe Than.
“As the Army cannot compete with the ULA / AA on the ground, they are now focusing on air and sea operations in Rakhine State. The government forces are waiting for an opportunity to challenge the AA successfully,” observed Pe Than.
Even though there was an informal ceasefire between the Burmese army and the AA since November 2020 national electons, the incident of 4 July bombing confused everyone. Tensions are mounted in various localities as the arrest of Rakhine civilians continues.
Myanmar's coastline is about 1,300 miles long and it covers an area of over 144,000 square miles. The navy has been empowered with three-dimensional combat strategies to safeguard the Myanmar maritime economic zone.
