Child fatalities reported as junta, AA clash in Chin and Arakan states

By DMG 02 Aug 2022

DMG Newsroom
2 August 2022, Paletwa, Chin State 

The Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) clashed in Chin State’s Paletwa Township and Arakan State’s Maungdaw Township on Tuesday, according to local residents, with two students reportedly killed by artillery fire in the Chin State hostilities. 

That fighting took place near Kin Chaung village, in the east of Paletwa Township, said a local resident who reported sounds of artillery and gunfire. 

“We heard continuous gunfire and sounds of artillery strikes since early morning near Kin Chaung village. They are still firing. Around 60 artillery shells have been fired,” the resident told DMG at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday. 

Two students were killed and three others were injured in the shelling, as about 20 students were returning from a middle school in Tonemawa village by boat to their home village of Yemawa. Their boat reportedly came under fire at the mouth of Hnitmadar Creek at about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and locals said the artillery shells were fired from the direction of Hnitmadar village, where a Myanmar military contingent is stationed. 

“Two students died on the spot and three others were injured in the artillery shelling by the junta forces,” a resident said. “The junta soldiers at a hill near the village opened fire on the boat carrying the students. The victims are from Yemawa village.”

DMG attempts to contact regime spokesman Major-General Zaw Min Tun concerning reports of student casualties in Paletwa Township were unsuccessful on Tuesday.  

A clash was also reported near mile post No. 40 in northern Maungdaw Township on Tuesday. A resident of Mee Tike village reported hearing sounds of shelling and gunfire. 

“The clash took place between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. I heard around six shots of artillery fire that happened every five minutes for nearly half an hour,” said the resident. 

Mee Tike is the closest village to post No. 40, located about four miles from the mile marker. But other villages including Thinbaw Hla, Min Khamaung, Mingalar Nyunt and Taman Thar are also in relatively close proximity to mile post No. 40. 

DMG was unable to contact AA spokesman U Khaing Thukha and the regime’s Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyaw Thura for comment at time of writing. 

The regime also suffered casualties and 14 border guard police were captured when the AA attacked junta troops and border guard police in Maungdaw Township on July 18. 

On July 19, the AA alerted locals in Arakan State about the possibility of escalating clashes in Arakan State due to the regime’s continuous military operations and preparations in the region.