Junta attacks kill 16 civilians, injure 69 in Arakan State in April

By Admin 01 May 2024

DMG Newsroom
1 May 2024, Sittwe

Sixteen civilians were killed and 69 others were injured by junta shellings and airstrikes in Arakan State last month, according to a DMG tally.

The junta airstrikes and artillery attacks caused 85 civilian casualties in Arakan State in April and the death toll could be higher on the ground.

Sixteen people — three from Minbya, four from Myebon, two each from Ann and Kyauktaw, and one each from Maungdaw, Pauktaw, Kyaukphyu, Thandwe and Ramree — were killed by the junta firings.

The injured people are 17 from Minbya, three each from Myebon, Maungdaw and Thandwe, 24 from Ann, five from Kyauktaw, nine from Pauktaw, two each from Kyaukphyu and Sittwe, and one from Ramree.

Civilian casualties are on the rise as the regime increasingly fires heavy weapons and carries out airstrikes on towns held by the AA and towns where fighting is intensifying.

At least 10 civilians were reportedly injured in a junta airstrike on Minbya town at around 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

“As the regime is unable to fight the AA in ground battles, it uses airstrikes and heavy weapons, causing many casualties to the people. Therefore, the international community needs to put pressure on the regime. Otherwise, many people will suffer a lot,” said one politician in Arakan State.

The United Nations Human Rights Council on April 4 urged member states not to sell jet fuel to Myanmar due to the regime’s excessive use of airstrikes, which it noted can take many lives in one place in a matter of seconds.

Children, the elderly, middle-aged and married couples are among those who were killed and injured during the fighting.

“The regime’s attacks killed many innocent children and civilians and some breadwinners are among them. When they are affected, the families’ livelihoods are greatly affected,” said a social activist in Arakan State.

Customary international humanitarian law requires any armed organisation to protect civilians and bars them from attacking, abducting or using civilians as human shields or targeting civilian dwellings.

A total of 179 civilians were killed and 486 were injured between November 13 of last year and March 21, according to the AA’s Humanitarian and Development Cooperation Office.