Fire breaks out again in Pauk Taw city after junta's shelling

At least four downtown areas of  Pauk Taw city caught fire on Sunday after the Burmese navy personnel and artillery battalions fired shells several times.

"We saw, fire broke out in four places as the soldiers fired heavy weapons. Starting around 4:10 pm on Sunday, they fired continuously from the Sittwe-based battalion every three or four minutes," said a
local woman, who fled her house.

On the night of 15 November, the Arakan Army members invaded and captured the Pauk Taw  police station. Next day about 170 soldiers and policemen were sent by Shwe Pyitan speedboats and navy vessels to regain the control over Pauk Taw.

Since then, the junta forces have been battling against the AA members. There soldiers are also using military jet and helicopters to bombard the city.

A former MP, who too fled Pauk Taw, said that about 30,000 people had already left  the town areas under Pauk Taw. Now they are facing the food shortage and will have to starve   in near future, he added.

The fire broke out in Pauk Taw on 23 November due to the heavy weapons firing by the navy and army battalions.

Nearly 70% of the urban areas, including the busy markets, were destroyed by the fire, informed an elder person.

“We assume 70% of our town areas have been destroyed. In a situation where two armed sides confront, the common people always suffer. The international community should look into the matter seriously,” added the individual.

Currently, the UN as well as WFP, ICRC remain silent over the situation in Rakhine and it seems those organisations are reluctant to save the Rakhine people in particular.