Military owned newspaper spreads false news over the burning of 2 Ponna Kyunt villages

The military junta owned newspaper on Tuesday falsely claimed that the junta forces were not involved in the burning of two villages (namely Ye Yoe Pyin and Kha Maung Taw) under Ponna Kyunt township in Rakhine State.

The Myanmar Alin newspaper reported, "We have identified the dissemination of false news and misinformation on social networking sites regarding the alleged burning down of two villages in Ponna Kyunt township, Rakhine State, by security forces. Contrary to this, security forces in the area and local residents confirm the absence of security force movements near these villages. The illicit subversive media is instilling fear among the local populace, disrupting peace and stability in the region, and undermining trust in security forces. It is evident that this unlawful subversive media is deliberately spreading false news and misinformation through social networks."

It may be mentioned that the military council's light infantry battalion 270 entered Ye Yoe Pyin village at 2 pm on 3 December with no resistance. The villagers witnessed how the soldiers fired artillery shells along with small arms that destroyed the entire village.

A local villager refuted the newspaper's report and claimed that the denial from soldiers in burning the village with 130 houses was wrong and shocking.

A Sittwe resident expressed his anger at the motivated report of the Myanmar Alin newspaper. He asserted that it was a great disappointment for the Rakhine people.

After burning Ye Yoe Pyin village, the soldiers proceeded to burn the nearby Kha Maung Taw village at around 4 pm on the same day.

According to the residents, approximately 5 houses in their village were burned down by the soldiers.

Besides the two villages, many residents in the neighboring villages like Aung Myae Kone, Aung Zeya, Sar Taung Poke and Kan Chaung have fled from the places to take shelter in safer places.