Min Shin Saw, Narinjara News, 19 October 2024

Despite the junta’s airstrikes on five villages nearAnn town, where the western command is located, the fighting continues but evenintensifies, said a military source in the region.

On 18  October at around 9 pm, the junta fighter-jetsdropped bombs at least 20 times on Kyaung Phyu Kwin, Yat Thar Ywar Thit, PyinTaw Gyi, Gway Kaing and Yat Thar Ywar Haung villages

“First, they fired artillery shells, and later fighterjets dropped bombs on those villages.  A number of houses were damaged,but the fighting did not stop,” added the source.

The  intense fighting between the junta soldiersand Arakan Army (AA) fighters erupted near the Kyaung Phyu Kwin intersectioncheckpoint and the central ordnance depot (COD). Despite the airstrikes, theclashes continued for the whole night.

“At around 9 pm, the junta launched airstrikes in themountain of  Ann town . Then they fired artillery shells at Yat Thar, Kyaung PhyuKwin and Gway Kaing villages. While the airstrikes were going on, the AAfighters attacked the junta camp at the Kyaung Phyu Kwin intersection. Fightingthen broke out near the COD and the battlefield engineer battalion,” stated thesource.

Following the AA's attack on the military camp at theintersection, an intense fighting erupted simultaneously at both the COD andthe concerned battalion.

The ongoing fighting is taking place near to thewestern command, where the AA fighters are firing artillery shells and alsoimprovised rockets. The junta is deploying at least four fighter jets toconduct airstrikes on the combat zones around Ann locality.

A local resident reported that the villagers fromthose areas were severely affected by the airstrikes and they fled to saferplaces. So they did not sustain injuries, but many houses in those villageswere damaged. (File photo)