Two civilians injured in Kyauktaw township shooting

Ein Soe Pru

Narinjara News, 22 June 2020

At least two civilians including a woman were injured in an incident of shooting near to Apaukwa village under Kyauktaw township, 80 miles north of  Rakhine capital city Sittwe, on Sunday morning, said local villagers.

The middle-aged victims have been identified were Daw U Kyin and U Aye Kyaw, both of whom hail from Yandar ward of Apaukwa village. Daw U Kyin received injuries in one of her thighs, where Aye Kyaw sustained wounds in his hands.

The incident of shooting took place as a moving army column faced a landmine explosion while crossing a railroad line near the village at around 7:50 am yesterday.

A local villager, who wanted anonymity, informed that over 100 soldiers were crossing the railway line when the explosion took place. The soldiers suddenly started firing in the area.

“Two of our villagers were injured in the incident. We were hiding in our house bunkers. The shooting continued for almost an hour. Many villagers are still hiding inside the village,” he added.

U Tun Win, a Pyithu Hluttaw representative from  Kyauktaw township, informed that he too heard the sound of artillery gunshots.

“Most of the villagers fled their places and called me over the phone. Both the injured villagers were taken to the Sittwe general hospital for necessary treatments,” added Tun Win.

Lt-Gen Zaw Min Tun and Rakhine State security & border affairs minister have not issued any statement regarding the incident and Narinjara also avoided in contacting them over the matter.

According to a RFA Burmese report,  260 people were killed and 565 were injured in Rakhine  from December 2018 to  June 2020 in different clashes between  Myanmar security forces and Arakan Army rebels.

(Photo by Than Tun Post)