Locals in Maungdaw, Buthidaung in state of panic as junta continues bombardment

By Admin 20 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
20 December 2023, Maungdaw

With junta battalions in Arakan State’s Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships firing artillery daily, local residents have expressed concerns for their safety.

“Locals dare not go out for fear that they might be hit by artillery. There are also unexploded shells near our village, and we are concerned that they might explode,” said a resident of Warr Chilar (Muslim) Village in Buthidaung Township.

On December 14, a child was injured after an artillery shell fired by Light Infantry Battalion No. 565 based in Buthidaung town landed in Warr Chilar Village. On November 27, three Warr Chilar residents working on a pepper farm near their village were killed, and six others were injured in a junta artillery strike.

On Tuesday, artillery shells fired by Light Infantry Battalion No. 209 overseen by the 22nd Light Infantry Division based at Mt. Nwar Yone in Buthidaung Township landed near Sin Thay Pyin Village.

The same day, artillery shells fired by a border guard battalion under the regime landed near new Pyan Taw Pyin Village and Kan Tharyar (Alel) and Kan Thar Yar (Ahtet) villages in Maungdaw Township.

Artillery strikes by border guard battalion 5 have forced some residents from Bawdhigon, Shwe Yin Aye, Kainggyi and Ywar Tharyar villages to evacuate their homes.

“They have been firing artillery for nearly a week. As some people were injured in previous artillery strikes, some have fled recent artillery strikes,” said a resident of Shwe Yin Aye Village.

Three civilians including a pregnant woman from Shwe Yin Aye Village were injured in artillery strikes by border guard battalion 5 on December 4, and a woman from Ywar Tharyar Village was also injured on December 15.

“The regime fires artillery deliberately, whether there is fighting or not. They are intentionally instilling fear in people,” said a community elder from Maungdaw.

Civilian casualties inflicted by junta air and artillery strikes since the renewed fighting broke out on November 13 continue to rise.