Five civilians killed during clash: Tatmadaw says

By Khaing Roe La 22 Mar 2019

Villagers said the Tatmadaw’s shooting killed local residents, but the Tatmadaw responded that the civilian’s death were during fighting with the AA.

DMG, Buthidaung

The Tatmadaw’s shooting into Si Taung village, Buthidaung Township, on Thursday night, claimed five people’s lives and injured at least nine, villagers said.

A local resident who did not reveal their name said that the Tatmadaw troops arrived at the village at about 2 PM on March 21 and villagers were hiding in their homes.

The artillery shooting started at about 9 PM and four family members in a bomb shelter and an old woman were killed by artillery fire, the villager said.

“At about 9 PM we heard the sound of heavy weapons firing. Then, troops shot in the village. There were a lot of injured. One woman received a severe injury and underwent an operation for her eye,” the villager told the DMG.

However, the Tatmadaw denied the claim that five people were killed by the Tatmadaw troop’s shooting.

Villagers were killed during an exchange of fire between the Tatmadaw and AA, Colonel Win Zaw Oo from the Western Command told the DMG.

Members of the AA started firing at Tatmadaw troops at about 9: 45 PM while they were conducting clearance operations near Si Taung village, he said.

“They opened fire at Tatmadaw troops from the village. They did it outside the village. They shot heavy weapons and guns at security forces. Our people sustained injuries. That’s why our side returned fire to the area where insurgents were positioned,” he said.

But, the Arakan Army’s information officer Khaing Thukha said that there was no clash in the village and the Tatmadaw troops shot in the village.

“There is no clash in Si Taung village.  The Tatmadaw troops shot civilians intentionally due to racial hatred. As far as I know, they surrounded the village and shot heavy weapons at houses. Villagers were hiding in trenches by their houses. They came and killed villagers who were seeking safety in their houses,” Khaing Thukha said.

U Maung Aye Tun, 55, Daw Than Nyunt, 55, Maung Myat Swe Thein, 23, Maung Aung Than Htay,19, and Daw Hla Su Pone,95, were killed. Four people apart from Daw Hla Su Pone were family members and they all were dead in the bomb shelter. Daw Hla Su Pone was killed by bullet wounds in a separate location.

Among nine injured people, two women who sustained severe injuries were sent to Sittwe hospital while the remaining were provided with medical treatment at Zedi Taung hospital.

Villagers from Si Taung fled to other villages such as Zedi Taung, Sin Khone Daing and Zeya Myaing villages.