Elderly Chin Man Killed, Woman Injured by Artillery Shell Shrapnel in Ann

An elderly Chin man was killed, and a middle-aged woman was injured by shrapnel from artillery shells fired by junta battalions in Kyat Yae San village, Ann Township, Rakhine State.

Residents reported that the deceased was U Chaung, aged over 70, from Kyat Yae San village, and the injured individual is Daw Pa Yone, approximately 35 years old.

A resident of Kyat Yae San village informed Narinjara News that an artillery shell fired by junta battalions based in Ann at about 11 am on April 19 landed near their hiding place close to Kyat Yae San village, Ann Township. This incident resulted in the immediate death of a man due to shrapnel, while a woman was seriously injured.

"There was a checkpoint near Kyat Yae San village. At that old checkpoint, there was a place where the soldiers took cover. If the junta soldiers fired artillery shells, the villagers hid there. Yesterday, an old man was killed by an artillery shell while he was taking cover there. As for the woman, her hands were injured, with flesh chipped off," he said.

A Chin woman informed Narinjara News that the injured person is receiving treatment at a nearby rural hospital, and the villagers are concerned about the possibility of more artillery shells exploding in the village.

"The injured woman is receiving medical treatment. Kyat Yae San village is situated on the hills, making it difficult for residents to flee due to the distance between villages. These villages are located near the Ann-Padan road," she explained.

In Kazu Kaing, Ann Township, the clash continued until April 19, with artillery shells fired from the Ann-based 371st Light Infantry Battalion, 372nd Light Infantry Battalion, garrison engineer battalion (GE), and the junta's base battalions towards residential villages, as reported by Ann residents.