Girl student killed by junta forces in Rathidaung township

Narinjara News, 20 October 2022

The Myanmar military council troops yesterday opened fire with heavy weapons on Pyin Taw village under Rathidaung township of Rakhine State, though there is no fighting presently going on between the government forces and Arakan Army members in that area. A seventh standard girl student was killed in the incident.

The victim, Ma Nyein Aye Zang (aka Ma Phyu Ma, 13 years old) is the daughter of U Aung Kyaw Min and Daw Thein Nu.

A relative informed that the 3rd of 4 artillery shells, fired by Ye Soe Chaung military strategic station, fell inside her house located at the northern part of Rathidaung and it exploded at around 11:30 am on Wednesday.

"The shell exploded when she was inside her house. Her body was blown away to the street. The wounds were spread from her back to the entire body," he added.

Her house was also damaged. A palm tree on the campus was also broken.

The girl was alone at home when the explosion took place. Her parents were away as they went to another village.

U Aung Kyaw Min, father of the victim, said, "What should I say here? I don't know how to say it. I'm exhausted.”

The villagers informed that three shells exploded in the east of their village. No other casualty was reported from the village.

On 17 October, four women including two sisters, a teacher and a Muslim woman were killed. Moreover, nine people including two children (under 5 years) were injured in the shelling on the townships of Min Bya and Kyauk Taw.

On 18 October, a Muslim villager from Buthidaung was also killed in the shelling by the Burma army. The victim went to his plantation area near the village and faced the incident.

According to a RFA report, at least 15 local people were killed in Rakhine State since an informal ceasefire between the junta and AA broke in February 2022.