Min Bya residents frightened by relentless firing in military school

The junta run military training school (number 9) in Min Bya township of Rakhine State had fired heavy weapons for two days in a row that frightened the locals as there is a ceasefire with the Arakan Army still continuing.

Reasons behind the shooting with heavy weapons are yet to be known. Locals believe that it was none other than the provocation from the Burmese army personnel.

The heavy weapons were fired several times in the morning and afternoon hours on 19 and 20 October.

A woman from the Nga Phaw Chaung village, which is near to the training school, said that they could hear the loud sound of shooting since the morning hours.

“They fired heavily till 12 noon. Then resumed it by 1 pm. Second day, they fired for almost the whole day. We are worried about the development,” she added.

The training school often fires heavily on the graduation days. However, the nearby residents got scared as the junta forces sometimes open fire w ithout any prior notice.

On 7, 8 June and 12 July, the school indulged in firing with small and large weapons, but no prior notice was served for the public.

The school was attacked by AA members on 23 March 2020. Some casualties were reported. AA members also seized some guns and later set the schools on fire.

The military junta and AA leaders have been following a ceasefire in Rakhine State for about a year. Rakhine people always fear the return of the conflict days as the military council started strengthening its forces with weapons and other supplies.

ULA/AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha said that if the fighting in Rakhine State returns due to the Myanmar army’s military expansion, that will be their responsibility.