Junta airstrikes around Taungup, kills woman, destroys several houses

Kant Kaw Ni Ni, Narinjara News, 23 August 2024

A local woman was killed and several houses were destroyed as the junta forces launched airstrikes with a fighter jet on villages around Taungup town of  Arakan State.

On 22 August  at 1:20 pm, the junta soldiers conducted the airstrikes near the villages of Moe Taung, Shwe Kun San, Mee Chaung Htoe and Zain Khan Htway. These villages are located near Taungup.

Due to the airstrikes, a woman from Mee Chaung Htoe village was killed instantly. Three houses were also destroyed, said Taungup residents. The deceased woman is identified as Ma Khin Yu Nandar Tun (27).

"Airstrikes hit villages like  Moe Taung, Zain Khan Htway and Shwe Kun San,” said a resident.

Since the third week of August, the junta forces have been  conducting airstrikes in Taungup locality, where they suspect Arakan Army’s presence. The residents were informed that the airstrikes were conducted five times in a week.

A junta fighter jet was hovering over Taungup and it caused serious concern for the residents.

 "The people in town were terrified because of the fighter jet. They could also hear the sound of bombing," said a young woman from Taungup.

On 20 August at around 2 pm, the junta soldiers dropped six bombs on the Tan Lwel Chaung Phyar mountain range using a Y-12 aircraft.

Similarly, on 19 August in the early morning hours, the junta forces conducted airstrikes on Kyauk Gyi Kwin mountain, which is 10 miles away from Taungup, and destroyed 10 houses in the village at the mountain-base.

The junta soldiers also carried out airstrikes on Moe Taung village and Moe charity education training center, located about 8 miles away from Taungup, on 16 August. They also targeted Aung Mingalar village, around 22 miles away from Taungup town on 15 August.

Photograph: A junta jet fighter that conducted airstrikes on Taungup at noon on 22 August. The woman who was killed in the incident