The Arakan Army (AA) has enacted a temporary nighttime curfew across the southern Arakan State townships of Thandwe, Gwa, and Toungup.
Implemented for the first time in these regions since mid-August 2026, the emergency measure responds to intensifying Myanmar regime air and naval bombardments alongside growing public security risks.
- Movement Restrictions: Local administrative sources confirmed that movement is strictly prohibited between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. without prior authorization for medical or urgent emergencies.
- Public Safety Concerns: Beyond mitigating risks from military operations, the order aims to curb a recent surge in nighttime theft and localized criminal acts.
- Civilian Toll: According to AA statements, regime airstrikes and heavy artillery shelling killed at least 20 civilians and injured 22 others across Arakan State—including within the three southern townships—between Aug. 1-11.
Region / TownshipControl MilestoneCurrent Security Status & DirectivesSouthern Arakan (Thandwe, Gwa, Toungup)Captured by AA in 2024 (198–584 miles south of Sittwe).11:00 PM – 5:00 AM Curfew; active target of regime naval shelling and aerial reconnaissance.Northern Arakan (Maungdaw)Captured in December 2024, securing the 167-mile Bangladesh border.Nighttime Curfew (Enforced Aug 2); counters armed infiltration by ARSA, RSO, and ARA factions.Territorial Scope14 of 17 Arakan townships + Paletwa Township (Chin State).Consolidated AA civil administration operating under junta land and sea blockades.
The heightened security measures across southern Arakan follow the Arakan Army’s statewide offensive launched on Nov. 13, 2023, which dislodged military regime forces from most of Arakan State and border corridors in neighboring Chin State.
