Over 300 battles broke out within five months

By Min Htun 15 May 2019

Min Tun / DMG

May 15, Sittwe

Over 360 battles broke out between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) over a five-month period from December 2018 to April 2019, AA’s spokesperson Khaing Thukha told the DMG.

More than 160 battles lasted longer than 30 minutes and over 200 battles were under 30 minutes, the AA released a statement on May 15.

The 160 battles that were over 30 minutes broke out between December 21 in 2018 and April 30, in 2019.  Thirteen battles occurred in December, twenty-nine battles were fought in January, thirty-one clashes took place in February, sixty-one fights occurred in March and twenty-six skirmishes happened in April, the statement said.

The Tatmadaw employed heavy artillery and helicopter strikes in the battles, it said.

Moreover, the Myanmar Army launched one-sided artillery barrages for many days and nights and shot randomly in villages after orchestrating mock battles, the AA said in its statement.

There was friendly fire between troops of the Myanmar Army, the AA said.

According to the figures collected by the Rakhine Ethnic Congress, the number of IDPs, who have been displaced from their homes in Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun due to the battles in northern Arakan State, have reached about 40,000.