Locals worried about their safety due to artillery shooting

04 Aug 2019

Win Nyunt | DMG

4 August, Sittwe

Since the Tatmadaw began shooting heavy weapon from Mt. Kyein Taung in Minbya Township, local residents have been concerned artillery shells landing into their village.

A Tatmadaw troop started shooting heavy weapon at a destination near Kalamadaung village, east of Minbya Town, yesterday afternoon at about 2 p.m, local sources said.

“We heard that there was fighting near Thaluchaung village. The Tatmadaw troop launched rockets into battle fought areas. There is no report of casualties in Minbya town but people are scared because they never heard the sound of heavy weapons. They’re worried about their safety,” said U Hla Thein Aung, Arakan State MP for Minbya Township.

Villages such as Kalamadaung, Thaluchaung, Sinedara and more are located in areas where the Tatamdaw is shooting heavy artillery and it has not been confirmed yet if villagers from that area are safe or not, said a local resident from Minbya town.

“They fired at Kalamaduang village east of our town. We don’t know yet if artillery shells landed into the village or not. They shot six rounds. All schools and markets are closed in the town now,” said an anonymous local resident from Minbya town.

The DMG phoned Colonel Win Zaw Oo from the Western Command for comment about the artillery shooting, he confirmed the shooting and said that local residents do not need to worry about their safety.