Naung Min Thu, NarinjaraNews, 24 October 2024

The junta's air force reportedly conducted airstrikeson a house celebrating Kahtain religious festival in northern Maungdaw township of ArakanState on the night of 21 October. They dropped a 500-pound bomb on Hpar WutChaung village at around 1:50 am, which killed five individuals.

The attack may have been triggeredby false information given to the junta, said a military observer based in theregion.

"When the festival wasorganized many people gathered there. It seems that someone supporting thejunta provided wrong information claiming that the Arakan Army (AA) wasinvolved in the function. As a result, the house hosting the festival was targetedby airstrikes. The bomb struck the house directly and killed a donor named DawHla Hla Aye and four others," added the observer.

The victims include Daw Hla Hla Aye (58) hailing fromHpar Wut Chaung village,  Ma Thidar (26), an internally displaced womanfrom Maungdaw, her nine-month-pregnant sister named  Ma Aye Aye Aung (24),Ko Maung Maung Thein (20)  and Ko Nay Zaw Oo.

A resident of Hpar WutChaung village expressed anguish over the airstrikes. The AA  had earlierissued a warning urging people to avoid gathering during  Thadingyut andTazaungdaing festivals.

"The junta soldiers mayhave carried out airstrikes and harmed the people. Probably they thought the AAwas behind the gathering and so targeted the house during night hours,”asserted the resident.

Among the victims Ma Thidar and hernine-month-pregnant sister Ma Aye Aye Aung fled the conflict areas of Maungdawto arrive in Hpar Wut Chaung village. Their father U Kyaw Sein Aung also wentmissing since he was captured by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)rebels.

"Their father wascaptured by ARSA rebels from Maungdaw and he is still missing. His twodaughters were killed when the junta's air force conducted airstrikes with afighter jet. His wife and son-in-law were seriously injured and are currentlyunder treatment," said a family member.

U Kyaw Sein Aung's wife DawAye Tin (52) and their son-in-law Maung Toe Min Hein (26) sustained seriousinjuries in the airstrikes.

Mentionable is that U Kyaw SeinAung was arrested by ARSA rebels and military-trained Muslim militants from BoHmue village under Maungdaw township on 23 July. Till now the family has nocontact with him.