The Arakan Army (AA) has opened fire with heavy weapons at a junta border guard camp located on a Pagoda hill near Zaydi Byint village under Rathedaung township. Some buildings were burnt down in the incident that took place on Tuesday evening.

“AA fired first with an RPG and it caught fire. AA members started shooting with heavy weapons and those hit the dormitories on the north of Pagoda hill. Later they fired from the other side of the army camp. We could see smoke coming out from the dormitories,” said a villager.

The shooting started at around 5:45 pm on 27 September and gunshots were heard for more than 40 minutes. It is assumed that more than 70 soldiers were taking shelter in the camp.

 "I don't think it was a battle to overrun the camp. It remains the style of AA to shoot military camps with large weapons. There may be casualties in the camp,” added the villager Following the AA offensive, the 536th battalion based in the Rathedaung  fired back with heavy weapons from 6 to around 10:00 pm.

The adjacent road passes through Zaydi Byint-Kyaukpatu mountain pass and it touches former Muslim village Athet Nanyar crosses Mayu mountain range. The road connects the southern part of Maungdaw with western part of Rathedaung township.

In the last few days, the area comprising Mayu river witnessed a battle between the AA members and the military council soldiers near Ma Nyingtaung village under Rathedaung township.

On 31 August, the AA fired on a convoy of military vehicles which were bringing food items from  Ma Nyingtaung village. At least four military personnel were killed in the incident.

Earlier on 13 August, a fierce battle broke out in a place between Dom Pei and Chang Kha Lain villages, which is close to Angu- Maungdaw motor road, where 31 soldiers were killed. The military authority immediately sealed the road.