Myanmar military bombs Ramree

By Admin 26 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
26 December 2023, Ramree

A junta jet fighter reportedly bombed the town of Ramree in southern Arakan State on December 25 without there being any fighting in the area.

Despite recent clashes between the military and Arakan Army (AA) in Ramree, there was no fighting in the island town on Monday. The junta airstrike damaged a high school and a home in Intaung Ward, according to local residents.

“A bomb dropped by a junta jet fighter damaged a home and a school building. I don’t know the situation in detail,” said a local woman in Ramree.

The regime carried out an airstrike on Ramree at about 4 p.m. on Monday, destroying a lane leading to Koyantaung Pagoda and some homes, the AA said in a statement on December 25. The military directed heavy weapons and small arms fire into some villages near Ramree, the statement added.

Thousands of residents in downtown Ramree and nearby villages have fled to safer locations since fighting flared between the military and AA in the area. Some residents remain in downtown Ramree, but it is difficult to contact them due to poor mobile phone services.

“Some residents remain in Ramree to fetch their belongings or monitor the situation. We cannot contact them. I can’t tell if they have moved to other places yet,” said a displaced woman.

The regime carried out artillery strikes after junta and AA troops clashed on the outskirts of Ramree on Monday morning. A junta jet strafed, and ground troops and warships also fired shots and artillery at Ramree town and nearby villages, according to sources on the ground.

A 46-year-old man from Laungchaung Ward was killed in the junta assault. Two girls, 13 and 15, from the same ward, and a 61-year-old man from Nyaungbin Hla Village were injured and some homes and roadside petrol stalls were set ablaze.

Fighting has spread to several townships in Arakan State and has displaced nearly 140,000 people in Arakan State amid renewed hostilities, according to data compiled by civil society organisations.