A woman from Kyauktaw hit by stray bullet

By Aung Htein 28 Aug 2019

Aung Htein | DMG
28 August, Sittwe
 
A woman in her 40s was hit by a stray bullet on Tuesday night in Kyauktaw Township and was admitted to Sittwe hospital, according to family members.

Daw Aye Yin, 42, from Shwe Lai village was hit in her right thigh while she was in her house. The incident occurred at about 10:30 p.m. on 27 August while the naval force was shooting off several rounds of ammunition along the east of Kispanadi River.

“My father told us to hide under the house when he heard the sound of gunfire. So, my mother stood up to go outside the house. At that time, the navy was relentlessly shooting firearms. A bullet passed through a glass window and hit her,” said her daughter Ma Zin Mar Nwe.

A radiographic image taken at the Kyauktaw hospital shows that the bullet is in her body, so she has been receiving medical treatment at Sittwe hospital now.

The DMG asked Colonel Win Zaw Oo, the head of the Western Command, about the gunfire by the Navy, the Tatmadaw will retaliate when any opposition fires on us.

“If we are shot from a place among houses, we will return fire to that area. We do not care if it is a monastery, a school or a house. We must return fire, if we don’t, we’re dead,” Colonel Win Zaw Oo said.

Ma Zin Mar Nwe, a university student, said that she did not want other people getting hurt like her mother.

“I feel so sad for my mother. I do not want other people getting hurt during armed conflicts. If they want to fight, they should fight far from civilians,” Ma Zin Mar Nwe said.

A total of 56 people arrived at Sittwe hospital after being injured by artillery shells, bullet or landmine between December last year to 28 August this year, and six of them were sent to Yangon hospital, according to the figures of aid groups.