Ponna Kyunt residents flee as soldiers started firing with heavy weapons

The residents of many villages under Ponna Kyunt township, which is located a few miles north of the State capital Sittwe, fled as the Burmese soldiers started firing with heavy weapons and also using drones on many occasions.

A boat caught fire after a navy shell fired into Kyauk Seik village, which is situated on Sittwe-Yangon highway, on 27 November at around 4:30 pm.

 "The boat near the bank caught fire after it was hit by a large bullet. The scared villagers ran away from the place,” said a local resident.

Similarly, two unexploded artillery shells fell into the road of Kyawzan village on 27 November following which the scared residents fled to safer places.

 “The junta soldiers have been attacking the Rakhine villagers along with the Arakan Army (AA) members. We simply do not understand the motive of soldiers,” added the villager.

 Earlier on 20 November, three out of five shells fired by the Ponna Kyunt based LIB  550 had exploded on the mountain near Tan Taung pagoda. Two others exploded at the entry point to the village, said a woman resident who too fled from their village.

"The villagers fled as the shells fell near the village. They are apprehensive about the resumed battle. Three years back, eight villagers were killed in the Kyauk Seik area. We are worried about our security as the soldiers started shooting in nearby villages," she added.

Mentionable is that on 13 April 2020, a shell fired by the infantry battalion (550) killed eight villagers and wounded another eight.

 Currently, the navy personnel are stationed in Kaladan river near Kyauk Seik village and the infantry battalion continued firing till a few hours back.

Residents of Kyauk Seik, Ye Ro Byint, Khamaung Seik and Yongy  villages have already left their places.

 The Northern Alliance, which includes the AA, has claimed that the navy personnel fired heavily on villages like Yo Ngu and Kyauk Seik throughout the night.

 According to Rakhine social activists, the military council continued firing with heavy weapons on populated towns and villages intentionally to frighten the civilians.