Woman wounded by artillery shell shrapnel in Kyauktaw Twsp

By Aung Htein 12 Aug 2020

Aung Htein | DMG
12 August, Kyauktaw 

A woman from Khapaw village in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw Township was wounded by an artillery shell believed to have been fired by the military on August 11, according to family members of the victim. 

The 43-year-old woman identified as Daw Ma Than Yi was reportedly injured when the shell landed and exploded in Khapaw while she was at her home, said U Phyu Thar Oo, the father-in-law of the victim. 

“The artillery shell fell in the compound of my house while my daughter-in-law was corralling a pig, which was killed on the spot. My daughter-in-law sustained shrapnel wounds to her back,” he explained. 

Daw Ma Than Yi’s right arm was also injured in the blast. 

An armed clash broke out between the military and Arakan Army on the mountain range near Khapaw village at about 8 a.m. on August 11, with the fight lasting about 15 minutes, residents said. 

Artillery shells were fired from a naval vessel anchored in the Kaladan River and the military’s Light Infantry Brigade No. 55, stationed on Taungshae Mountain east of Khapaw village, also fired artillery shells, residents said. 

DMG phoned Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun and Maj-Gen Tun Tun Nyi of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team seeking comment on Tuesday’s events, but they could not be reached. 

The injured woman was sent to Kyauktaw Hospital on August 11 and was transferred to Sittwe Hospital to undergo surgery on August 12 after shrapnel was found in her body, family members of the victims said.