Junta forces used chemical weapons on Ramree residential areas, claims Three Brotherhood Alliance

The Three Brotherhood Alliance on Sunday claimed that the military junta used chemical weapons during an attack on Ramree (Yanbye) in Rakhine State.

For about a week, the junta forces were launching assaults on residential areas in Ramree with warplanes and subsequently using chemical weapons, said in a statement.

"The junta forces have utilized artillery shells and aerial bombardment for about a week to destroy the town, with no major ground skirmishes between the AA fighter and soldiers.   Furthermore, the junta has utilized jet fighters to launch attacks with chemical weapons," asserted  the forum of anti-junta armed groups.

Moreover, the forum indicated that the junta's military bases in Ramree were  consistently firing artillery shells over the residential areas.

A resident of Ramree informed Narinjara News that the clashes between the AA fighters and junta soldiers were going on in Thein Taung hill and Ko Yan Taw mountain areas since 8 am on 24 January. The resident added that the junta forces conducted daily airstrikes using jet fighters and helicopters. They also indiscriminately dropped bombs on civilian areas.

On 27 January at 6:40 am, clashes erupted between the AA fighters and junta forces near the Kyar Nyo Pyin bridge camp in Buthidaung township. The fighting continued for many hours and resulted  in
casualties among the soldiers.

By 2 pm, the 232nd and 344th light infantry battalions based in Sittwe targeted the towns and rural areas with artillery shells. Some of the shells exploded in the fields near Gwa Sone village under  Nga Zin Yine Chaung village-tract of  Minbya township. Three local men working in the orchard sustained injuries by shrapnel from the shells.

Similarly, at approximately 8:30 pm on Saturday, the junta's Y-12 aircraft  carried out consecutive airstrikes and artillery shell-assaults in and around Pauktaw township of  Rakhine State, added the statement.