Junta attacks last month in Arakan State kill 42 civilians, injure 94

By Admin 01 Jul 2024

DMG Newsroom
1 July 2024, Sittwe

At least 42 civilians were killed and 94 others were injured by junta gunshots, shellings, airstrikes, landmine blasts and torture at interrogation centres in Arakan State last month, according to a DMG tally.

Most of the civilian casualties were reported in Thandwe Township, with 24 fatalities recorded, according to data compiled by DMG from June 1-30.

By township, the deceased elsewhere included three people from Ann, two each from Maungdaw and Ponnagyun, six from Taungup, four from Sittwe and one from Gwa. Among the injured were  43 from Thandwe, two each from Ann and Taungup, 12 each from Maungdaw, Pauktaw and Ponnagyun, six from Kyauktaw and one each from Kyaukphyu, Myebon, Minbya, Mrauk-U and Rathedaung.

“The regime’s human rights abuses have worsened, with civilian casualties increasing every month. The regime’s crimes against innocent civilians require strong international action,” said a member of the DMG records and research department.

The number of civilian casualties has been highest in Thandwe Township, where fighting between Myanmar’s military regime and the Arakkha Army (AA) is ongoing and oftentimes intense, with 67 dead and wounded. A junta artillery strike and drone attack on Thandwe Township’s Hsinkhaung Village killed 14 locals and injured 24 others on June 4.

The junta, which has been resisting the accelerating AA offensive in Arakan State, has been carrying out a series of targeted attacks on civilians.

“As the regime is suffering militarily, it is targeting the people and attacking the locals with suspicious eyes. The regime no longer observes the rules of war law and commits insane crimes,” said one Thandwe resident.

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.

“Many children and women have been killed by the regime. In addition, the affected families who have lost breadwinners are also facing famine. This is like killing an entire family, not just an individual,” said a social activist in Arakan State.

The AA has thus far seized nine townships in Arakan State, Paletwa Township in neighbouring Chin State, and scores of military camps elsewhere in Arakan State, with the theatre of conflict now expanded into Thandwe, Ann, Taungup and Kyaukphyu townships.