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

For about a week, the junta forces were launching assaults on residential areas in Ramreewith warplanes and subsequently usingchemical weapons, said in a statement.

"The junta forces have utilized artillery shells and aerial bombardment for about aweek 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 forumof anti-junta armed groups.

Moreover, the forum indicated that the junta's military bases in Ramree were  consistentlyfiring artillery shells over the residentialareas.

A resident of Ramree informed Narinjara News that the clashes between the AA fighters and junta soldiers weregoing on in Thein Taung hill andKo Yan Taw mountain areas since 8 am on 24 January. The resident added that the junta forces conducteddaily airstrikes using jet fightersand 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 Pyinbridge 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 withartillery shells. Some of the shellsexploded in the fields near Gwa Sone village under  Nga Zin Yine Chaung village-tract of Minbya township. Three local men working inthe orchard sustained injuries by shrapnel from the shells.

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