Ponnagyun market catches fire due to junta artillery strikes

By Admin 24 Nov 2023

DMG Newsroom
24 November 2023, Ponnagyun

Junta artillery strikes caused a fire at Myoma Market in Arakan State’s Ponnagyun town on Friday, according to local residents.

An artillery shell fired by a Myanmar Navy vessel near Natseik Village fell near the market and the market caught fire at about 2:30 p.m. on November 24, said a local man in Ponnagyun town.

“The market fire is fierce and firefighters are struggling to control the blaze,” the Ponnagyun told DMG on Friday afternoon. “All properties in Ponnagyun may be engulfed,” 

Residents in Ponnagyun said that it has proven difficult to extinguish the fire and fears as of press time were that it would spread to other parts of the town.

“The fire rages through Myoma Market in Ponnagyun. We are worried that the blaze will spread to the whole town. The situation is worsening,” said another local man in Ponnagyun.

Firefighters and residents were working Friday to put out the fire and try to prevent the fire from spreading to houses near the market.

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 were damaged 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.