5 killed, 16 injured in Rakhine due to junta’s artillery shelling

On 24 January, the junta forces launched artillery shells into the villages, which resulted in killing of 5 individuals and injuring 16 others, including some children.

A local resident informed Narinjara News that  on Wednesday at approximately 5 pm, the junta's navy personnel fired artillery shells into Thae Tan village under  Minbya township of Rakhine State that killed 2 villagers and injured 6 others.

The victims have been identified as  U Yar Kyaw and Daw Ah Hla Chay, where the injured individuals include  San May Soe, U Aye Kyaw, Soe Soe San, Ma Thar Nu, Hla Mya Thein, Than Tan Yee and Naing Naing Soe. Due to the communication problems, their ages and other details are yet to be found.

"At approximately 6 pm, the junta's naval ships targeted Thae Tan village with howitzers, resulting in the tragic death of one resident and injuring three others. Three village houses were also destroyed by the artillery shells," said the Three Brotherhood Alliance.

The Buthidaung-based junta's 15th military operations command (MOC-15) deliberately targeted the populous villages with artillery shells by 5:20 pm. This attack resulted in the death of three young Muslim residents from Maung Hna Ma Pearl Taung village under Buthidaung township. Eight others, including two children, also sustained injuries.

An artillery shell exploded in Kaing Gyi (Mro) village of  Zaw Ma Tet village-tract under  Maungdaw township causing injuries to a 15-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy.

The shelling was launched by the junta's Mawyawadi tactical operation command based in Maungdaw. The soldiers fired artillery shells six times into the towns and villages at around 9:40 am, said a Three Brotherhood Alliance statement.

It  also pointed out that the junta's military base was instrumental in harassing local people on various occasions.

The Arakan Army (AA) has planned  to  launch attacks and capture the military bases which terrorized the civilians.

The humanitarian and development coordination office (HDCO) of the United League of Arakan (ULA) revealed on 18 January that within two months (13 November to 13 January this year), at least 81 Rakhine civilians were killed and 260 sustained injuries as a result of airstrikes and artillery shell attacks engineered by the junta forces.

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