The junta forces have killed three civilians in Mrauk-U township of RakhineState, who were used as human shields by the soldiers.
They also fired artillery shells at a residential area which killed oneresident.
The killed civilians are identified as U Tun Tun Oo (35 years old), KoSaw Naing Tun (28), both hailed from Shauk Taw Su ward and U San Shwe Kyaw(52) from Ah Lel Zay ward.
The three victims were used as human shields by the soldiers and they wereshot dead by the 540th light infantry battalion at around 1 pm on 9January.
The Arakan Army (AA) has verified the deaths of three civilians and issued astatement.
"On 9 January, a column of 50 soldiers from the 540th lightinfantry battalion was stationed in Mrauk-U locality and it engaged in a brief skirmishwith the AA members near Sakya Man Aung pagoda. During the gun fighting, 15 junta soldiers were killed,” said the AA statement.
It indicated that the column, while witnessing significant casualties, seizedthree Mrauk-U residents and used them as human shields. They were taken to the540th light infantry battalion and later fatally
shot dead. The soldiers from the 540th battalion tied up and beat them.
“All three died. They did not shoot them at a same time. An elderly man was killed in the afternoon. The other two were shot dead on theroad in the evening," said a resident.
Meanwhile, the 540th light infantry battalion launched artillery shellson Mrauk-U township which killed one civilian and injured twoothers.
The victim has been identified as U Mel Naung Chay (51), who lived at SinCha Seik ward. The injured individuals include Ma Bu May Chay (7).
"An elderly resident of Sin Cha Seik lost his life as a result of continuousartillery shelling by the junta forces. Two others also sustainedinjuries," said a Mrauk-U resident.
The AA stated its commitment to retaliate against the 540th light infantrybattalion for the killing of innocent people and committing war crimes in theRakhine region.
The residents informed that regular clashes between the AA members and juntaforces near Mrauk-U Shaitthaung pagoda are going on and many soldiers losttheir lives as they faced a landmine attack.