Military training school in Minbya conducts extended series of live-fire drills

By Admin 20 Oct 2023

DMG Newsroom
20 October 2023, Minbya
 
A Myanmar military training school near the village of Kanni in Arakan State’s Minbya Township has been carrying out live-fire drills using artillery since October 18, according to residents.
 
The school has notified the administrators of the surrounding villages about the live-fire exercise, expected to last a week, and warned locals not to go near the area.
 
“We have heard gunshots and artillery from that military training school. Today is the third day. They have warned locals not to go close to the area. They also fired at night,” a community elder from Kanni Village told DMG.
 
The military training school near Kanni Village was attacked by the Arakan Army (AA) in 2020, with the Myanmar military calling in air support following intense fighting.
 
Locals are concerned that fresh clashes may erupt as the Myanmar military has been increasingly conducting military drills in the area, said a resident of Che Village, which is located almost 10 miles from the military training school.
 
“We had to flee to Pauktaw and Myebon in the previous fighting. Some villagers were killed when artillery shells hit our village. We are concerned that fresh fighting may break out,” he said.
 
DMG’s calls to Arakan State security and border affairs minister Colonel Kyaw Thura went unanswered.
 
It has been nearly one year since the Myanmar military and the AA observed an informal ceasefire on humanitarian grounds in late November 2022.
 
The junta’s military drills are intended to instil fear in civilians, according to Arakanese politician U Pe Than.
 
“People have concerns. The regime should not do like that at this time. The ceasefire was reached based on understanding between the two sides. It is not a political agreement. So, clashes could happen at any time,” he said.
 
A junta base in Tharagu Village, Taungup Township, and the Danyawaddy naval base near Thitpoketaung Village in Kyaukphyu Township also carried out live-fire drills in early October.