Between 13 November and 22December (spanning 40 days since the onset of the Rakhine conflict), at least34 civilians were killed, 130 injured and 242 arrested, said U Khaing Thukha,spokesperson for the United League of Arakan/ Arakan Army (ULA/AA).

He claimed that the military council is consistently engaging in war crimes, pointing to deliberateactions where artillery shells and small arms were intentionally used againstcivilians, resulting in so many casualties.

"In Rakhine State, the military council persistsin committing a range of war crimes against humanity, including deliberatelyshooting and killing civilians (who are not involved in the conflict), firingartillery shells, conducting airstrikes, deploying drones for bombings, andconcealing the bodies of the deceased," he stated.

The casualties comprise three men and one womanof  Kyauktaw township, three  men and one  woman in Mrauk-U, sixmen and one woman in Minbya, one man and three women in Paletwa (of ChinState), one man in Sittwe, three men and four  women in Pauktaw, one manin Ann, one man in Maungdaw, one  man and two women in Buthidaung, one man in Rathedaung and one man in Ramree (Yanbye) township.

The injured included threemen and six women in Rathedaung, five men and two women in Buthidaung, sevenmen and two women in Maungdaw, seven  men and five women in Sittwe and twomen and one  woman in Myebon township.

Additionally, there werenine  men and ten  women in Paletwa, three men and nine  womenin Kyauktaw, 18 men and 19 women in Minbya, seven  men in Mrauk-U, six women in Pauktaw, one man and one woman in Ponna Kyunt, four  menand two  women in Ann  and one  individual in Ramree townshipwere wounded.

The arrestees hail from 14 Rakhine townships and Paletwa, where 205 are men and 37 women.According to Khaing Thukha, 32 individuals out of 242 arrested individuals werereleased by the military junta.

Currently, the conflict isgoing on across  Rakhine State. Quoting social activists, he added thatthe targeting of civilians by the soldiers has resulted in forced displacementof hundreds of thousands of people in the Rakhine region.

"In numerous townships,people are fleeing from both urban and rural areas. Those who choose to remainin their homes are also living in fear. We don't know what the military willdo. Furthermore, with closed roads and a sharp increase in the prices of goods,some are experiencing hunger. It would be good if the roads werereopened," said a social activist based in  Ann township.

Regarding actions of themilitary council in Rakhine State, six international Rakhine organizations hadpenned an open letter to global leaders, including the UNSG. The letterunderscored six main points, urging the cessation of human rights violations likeunwarranted arrests, detentions, etc, prohibit the use of civilians as humanshields, and avoid lethal acts.  It also called for prompt internationalassistance to aid innocent civilians, who have been displaced from theirresidences due to the ongoing conflict.