Facing repeated defeats in Rakhine, junta escalates attacks on civilians

The military junta, which is facing repeated defeats in the Rakhine region against the Arakan Army (AA) fighters, now lacks the ability to continue its fight and hence the soldiers start conducting daily airstrikes targeting the civilians.

A resident of Ann Thar village informed Narinjara News that the  junta conducted airstrikes with one jet fighter on their village under Minbya township at around 11:30 pm on 29 February that resulted in the destruction of four houses.

"During the night hours, a jet fighter dropped some bombs. As there was no person inside the houses, none were injured. Four houses were completely destroyed. The roofs and walls of other neighboring houses were also damaged," added the resident.

He added that residents of the locality were fleeing to safer places because of fear.

"Despite the town being captured, the airstrikes over the villages continue making the villagers unsafe in their own places," said the villager.

On 27 February  at 1:45 am, Min Hpu hospital in the township was deliberately targeted by the junta with airstrikes by a jet fighter. It damaged the hospital buildings and injured many civilians, prisoners of war receiving medical treatment there and a few hospital staff.

At  around 1:30 am, the junta carried out airstrikes on Thay Kan village using a jet fighter. According to an AA statement, it  injured  10 internally displaced persons  and also damaged school and residential buildings.

On 29 February, 12 Rakhine civilians were killed and 80 others seriously injured when the navy warship intentionally conducted artillery shelling on Myoma market of  Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State.

The AA stated that as the junta faces losses in division, battalion headquarters, military camps, police stations and various towns of  the Rakhine region, they are now committing the war crimes by targeting civilians and public properties.

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