Narinjara News, 20 July 2022

The military situationremains tense in Rakhine State after a fresh battle between the Burmese armypersonnel and Arakan Army members in northern Maungdaw township on 18 July. Anumber of civilians from  the locality have been arrested by the army.

Among those arrested, there are five local residents including the Kyin Chaungvillage administrator (U Ko Ko Naing alias U Boorn Kan Naing, 45 years old)under the Maungdaw township.

An individual (close to the village administrator) informed that three personsfrom his village were arrested suspecting their links with the AA.

“They (a group of 20 soldiers ) entered into our village at around 4 am today.We come to know that their cellphones were also confiscated,” he added.

Arrested two other villagers are  U Tun Aye Krain (50) and U Tun Che (42). years old). Kyin Chaung village is near  to the recent gunfighting areabetween the junta border police and AA on Maungdaw -Taungbro road which isadjacent to Bangladesh border.

The family members claimed that they were brought to a military camp near KyinChaung village for  interrogation.

An eyewitness also informed that two villagers were arrested this morning fromthe Paktawpyin border guard checkpoint under Maungdaw township.

"Both of them were arrested by the soldiers after checking cellphones. Onehails from Ponna  Kyung township, but I have no idea about the other one,”he added.

On the early hours of  19 July, the junta force arrested two civilians namelyU Moethi Khaing (50 years old bakery owner) and U Saw Aye Maung (40-year-oldpig farmer from the Sanpya) from Ponna  Kyung township, which is 16 miles northof Rakhine capital city of Sittwe.

It was a follow up action by the military council after the AA members detainedPonna Kyunt township governor  U Hla Shwe on 17 July.

In another incident, four civilians who were travelling from Sittwe to KyaukTaw  by a three-wheeler taxi were also arrested in LIB 539 battalion checkpoint on 17 July in the morning hours.

"I do not know if they are released till date. They were taken to the armycompound (539 battalion). I have no information which villages they belong to,”said another eyewitness.

The military council also charged over  30 civilians under section 505 (a)and 505 (b) of the  terrorism act for supporting the AA (and opposing themilitary council).

In the northern Maungdaw township battle some soldiers areapprehended to be killed and 14 of them surrendered with 26 small arms to theAA. Since then, the situation remains tense as the armed cadres of both the factions have beenalerted.