Another death reported in recent shelling of Maungdaw Twsp village

18 Nov 2022

DMG Newsroom
18 November 2022, Maungdaw

A 16-year-old from Jeitchaung Village, Maungdaw Township, who was severely injured by mortar strikes on November 16 succumbed to shrapnel wounds at Sittwe Hospital on Friday.

The victim has been identified as Maung Ngwe Paing. He sustained serious shrapnel wounds to his head, arms, legs and chest.

“He [Maung Ngwe Paing] was sent to Sittwe via Buthidaung by boat at around 6 a.m. on November 17. He was transported to Sittwe Hospital by an ambulance from the Myittar Yaungchi charity at about 11:30 a.m. and died at around 2 p.m.,” Maung Ye Lin Naing, the elder brother of the victim, told DMG.

“I had difficulties taking his corpse back, so I consulted with my father and decided to cremate his body in Sittwe,” he added.

Maung Ye Lin Naing described his younger brother as compassionate.

“I feel very sorry and pitiful. He always helped his parents. There was no complete family at his funeral. My parents are currently at Maungdaw Hospital to help my two younger brothers, who were injured by bullets. They have many difficulties to come here [to Sittwe]. I buried him alone, without my family members,” he added.

Maung Ngwe Paing’s death brings to 12 the number of residents who were killed after three mortar shells struck Jeitchaung Village on November 16. Twenty-three others were injured in the artillery strikes.

Jeitchaung villagers have accused the military personnel stationed at security checkpoint No. 24 in Kyeinchaung Village and the local Border Guard Force of firing the mortar shells at the village.

On November 17, however, the military rejected those allegations, announcing that “the deaths and injuries were caused by AA’s irrational firing,” referring to the Arakan Army.

The AA in a statement on November 16 denied any involvement in the shelling, and has vowed revenge for regime artillery strikes targeting villages, calling them war crimes.