The end of the BGP5 barracks in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine State was marked by a devastating and bloody conclusion. Initially, a crackling loudspeaker called for surrender, followed by a relentless barrage of artillery, rockets, and rifle fire. The intense assault tore through the buildings where hundreds of soldiers sought refuge, signaling the collapse of the Myanmar military junta's final stronghold along the Bangladesh border.

BGP5, short for Border Guard Police, had become the focal point of the military's presence in Rakhine State. Video footage from the insurgent Arakan Army (AA) revealed fighters, many barefoot and equipped with a mix of weapons, launching attacks against the fortified base while air force jets roared overhead. The siege was one of the most ferocious battles in Myanmar's civil war since the military coup in 2021.

The AA encountered formidable defenses, including deep ditches filled with spikes, bunkers, and more than a thousand landmines. According to an AA source, many fighters suffered grievous injuries or lost their lives during the assault. Despite these obstacles, the insurgents’ persistence forced a humiliating retreat for Myanmar’s coup leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, and marked the junta’s first complete loss of control over a border region.

The 270km border with Bangladesh is now fully under the control of the Arakan Army. With only the state capital, Sittwe, remaining firmly in military hands but isolated from the rest of the country, the AA is poised to become the first insurgent group to establish control over an entire state.

The army’s retreat from Rakhine State has been ongoing throughout the year, with town after town falling to the insurgents. The final stand at BGP5 was a compound constructed on the ashes of Myo Thu Gyi, a Rohingya village destroyed during the military's brutal campaign in 2017. The AA's advance was painstakingly slow, as fighters dug ditches for cover amid constant air force bombardments and a heavily mined landscape.

As the siege intensified, the soldiers inside BGP5 grew increasingly desperate. Nighttime supply drops by the air force provided some resources but were insufficient to sustain morale or treat injuries. By the end, the demoralized soldiers began surrendering, emerging in pitiful condition, some on crutches or hopping with limbs wrapped in rags. Inside the ravaged barracks, the victorious insurgents filmed scenes of devastation, including piles of bodies.

The AA claimed that over 450 soldiers perished in the siege. Among the captives was Brigadier-General Thurein Tun, who, along with his officers, was filmed kneeling beneath the insurgents’ newly raised flag. This victory signifies a pivotal moment in Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict, further highlighting the weakening grip of the military junta.

Disclaimer:This image is taken from AP.