Salai Moe Aung, Narinjara News, 3 September 2024

The military junta carried out airstrikes with Y-12aircraft on villages under  Sittwe and Ponnagyun townships of RakhineState on 2 September from 2 to 3:30 pm. The targeted areas remain near Min Hla(also known as Mee Laung) village in Sittwe,  where the fighting tookplace recently.

The affected villages include Min Hla, Wah Bo and NyoYin Chaung under Sittwe as well as Kha Maung Taw, Aung Zeya and Ye Yoe Pyinunder Ponnagyun.

“The junta soldiers dropped five bombs continuouslyfrom a warplane. I also heard that in Ponnagyun the airstrikes targeted areaswhere the battle erupted previously,” he added.

Narinjara News is documenting the civilian casualtiesbecause of airstrikes. After the airstrikes, the Y-12 aircraft flew towardseast of Sittwe.

 On 29 August at  around 3:00 pm, fighting brokeout between junta forces, who were conducting military operations towards MinHla and the Arakan Army (AA) fighters.

Following high casualties among the junta soldiers in the battlefield, theystarted conducting airstrikes over the area where the fighting took place.

The junta soldiers also fired artillery shells and used drones hitting KhaMaung Taw village under Ponnagyun and damaged a monastery and several otherhouses.

On the afternoon and night hours of 30 August, the Par Da Leik battalion inSittwe fired artillery shells indiscriminately around the battle area.

Later the airstrikes were carried out near the site ofthe fighting using a jet fighter by the junta soldiers in the morning andafternoon hours.