Four IDPs killed, two injured in junta airstrikes on Maungdaw Twsp village

By Admin 03 Nov 2024

DMG Newsroom
3 November 2024, Maungdaw

Four displaced civilians were killed and two people including an abbot were injured in regime air attacks on a Buddhist monastery in Pyarthar Village, part of Arakan State's Maungdaw Township, at around 7 p.m. on November 2.

The regime carried out airstrikes on the village twice, hitting a Buddhist monastery housing several internally displaced people (IDPs) on Saturday evening.

"A junta jet fighter dropped five bombs on the village," said a source. "A bomb dropped by the junta jet fighter landed and exploded in the compound of the monastery, killing four IDPs and wounding two others including an abbot."

The deceased have been identified as U Shwe Kyaw, 57, Daw Ma Soe Yi, 64, Maung Tun Tun Win, 17, and U Maung Than, 64. The two injured are Venerable Tezawbasa, the 72-year-old abbot, and U Tun Tun Naing, 47.

The victims were displaced during the battle for control of Maungdaw, and they are currently taking refuge at the monastery.

Thirty-six civilian casualties have been reported in Maungdaw Township due to regime air raids and artillery strikes since October 1, according to a DMG tally.

Many IDPs are moving from one location to another without a stable place to take refuge due to daily airstrikes and artillery attacks by the military in Maungdaw Township.

"We flee to safe places to survive. The locals cannot live well, day or night," said a local man in Maungdaw Township.

The regime, which has suffered a series of military defeats in Arakan State over recent months, is increasingly targeting residential buildings, religious structures, and IDP shelters, oftentimes killing or wounding IDPs en masse.

On September 26, at least 14 civilians including children were killed and 25 others were injured in a junta airstrike on Arakan State's Thandwe.

"The regime continues to commit war crimes by bombing civilian areas indiscriminately. The regime's bombing of the IDP shelters is a genocide committed against the human race. We strongly condemn the military's actions," said a human rights activist.

At least 180 civilian casualties were reported in Arakan State in junta air raids and artillery strikes in October, according to a DMG tally.