Late-night gunfire kills villager, injures four others in Sittwe Twsp

By Aung Htein 10 Jun 2020

Aung Htein | DMG
10 June, Sittwe

Gunfire just after midnight on June 10 killed a woman in her 80s and injured four others including a police officer in Amyint Kyun village, Sittwe Township, according to residents.

A villager who declined to be named said a Tatmadaw watercraft unleashed a barrage of small arms and heavy weapons fire along the river and into the village after gunfire was heard near the Min Chaung Creek bridge.

Daw Jaw Ji Ma was at home and died instantly when a shell landed on her house. Her daughter, Daw Ma San Yi, was injured slightly on her face.

Police Lieutenant Myo Thet Naing from the Amyint Kyun police outpost was also hit in the face by shrapnel. Ma Nandar Win, 13, and U Maung Ka Lain aka U Kyaw Myint, 42, sustained bullet wounds.

“My daughter told me she felt a headache during the gunfire. At that time, it was raining, so my wife thought her head was wet because of rainwater. Then, we lit the light and found that it was blood and she was hit by a bullet,” said U Kyaw Kyaw Win, the father of Ma Nandar Win.

Ma Nandar Win and U Kyaw Myint have been provided medical treatment at Sittwe Hospital. Daw Jaw Ji Ma’s funeral was held on Wednesday.

Her daughter Daw Ma San Yi received medical treatment in the village, while the police officer’s condition was not immediately known.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Amyint Kyun residents fled to nearby villages in fear of being interrogated if a Tatmadaw column were to enter the village.

On June 10, the military said three naval vessels conducting security operations in Sittwe Township were attacked by the Arakan Army and an exchange of fire ensued near Amyint Kyun village, at around midnight the prior evening.