Fierce fighting between Tatmadaw and Arakan Army in Rathedaung

By Myat Swe 01 Feb 2020

Myat Swe | DMG
1 February, Rathedaung
 
The Tatmadaw and Arakan Army traded “fierce” fire for hours on February 1 near Amyet Taung village in Arakan State’s Rathedaung Township, according to local sources.

After a Tatmadaw column of more than 100 soldiers left the village, a clash broke out at about 10 a.m. among the hills and fields of an area about a half mile from the village, said a villager who asked not to be named for security reasons.

“The fighting is fierce. It stopped at about 4 p.m. We have never seen such fierce fighting. It happened during the daytime,” the villager said.

Both sides exchanged artillery fire and shells landed in residential parts of Ngasanbaw, Kyaukyan and Amyet Taung villages, Amyotha Hluttaw lawmaker U Khin Maung Latt said in a post to his social media page.

“It had been a week of no fighting, but fighting started again today in Ratheduang Township,” wrote the MP, whose constituency includes Rathedaung.

Amyet Taung village has not been inhabited since fighting prompted its residents to flee four months ago, U Khin Maung Latt said. He added that only women and the elderly remained in nearby Ngasanbaw, Nyaungbinhla, Manyin Taung and Kyaukyan villages.

Fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army in Arakan State has displaced more than 100,000 people, with many struggling to meet basic needs such as shelter, food and clothing, and facing difficulties in accessing healthcare and education.