Fire at Ponnagyun market caused by junta shelling engulfs over 300 stalls

By Admin 25 Nov 2023

DMG Newsroom
25 November 2023, Ponnagyun

Junta artillery strikes caused a fire at Myoma Market in Arakan State’s Ponnagyun town on Friday that engulfed more than 300 stalls, according to local residents and stall owners.

An artillery shell fired by a Myanmar Navy vessel near Natseik Village fell near the market at about 2:30 p.m. on November 24, engulfing over 300 stalls such as grocery, pharmacy, rice sale centres and electronics ships.

“My two stalls were reduced to ashes. I don’t know how to restart my business,” said a female owner of two stalls.

Estimated property losses due to the fire are about K100 million and it will be difficult for her to recover, she added.

DMG phoned officials of the township fire brigade and Arakan State Fire Services Department to find out more about the fire damage to Ponnagyun’s Myoma Market, but they could not be reached.

The market fire was caused by artillery shells fired by junta soldiers stationed at Kin Hill toward downtown Ponnagyun, and a Myanmar Navy vessel in the Kaladan River near Natseik Village, and the majority of residents in Ponnagyun have fled to safer locations.

Local people in Ponnagyun are worried about their safety due to the junta’s shelling and airstrikes without fighting.

Locals said that the heavy weapons hit on the Ponnagyun market was a deliberate attack by the regime to cause harm to the civilians during the latest hostilities in Arakan State.

“Fire at Ponnagyun Market was caused by a deliberate shooting by the regime to cause harm to the civilians. We want those who commit such crimes to be given appropriate punishments,” said a local man.

“The junta’s shelling is a deliberate torture to bring the people to famine,” said another local man in Ponnagyun.

Junta spokesperson Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun has alleged that the fire at the Ponnagyun market was not caused by the regime but by the Arakan Army (AA).

“The AA deliberately launched an arson attack at Ponnagyun Myoma market. The AA is using the local people to mislead the public,” he added.

DMG continues to attempt to contact U Khaing Thukha, spokesman for the ULA/AA, regarding the junta spokesman’s accusations.

Elsewhere, shells fired by the junta’s warships and No. 12 Police Battalion based in Sittwe landed on No. 1 Ward in Pauktaw at 12 p.m. on November 23, setting some houses on fire.

Civilian casualties were reported and civilian homes and public hospitals have been among the damages due to the junta’s indiscriminate heavy weapons and small arms fire since renewed hostilities between the military and Arakan Army in Arakan State began on November 13.