Three battalions near Rathedaung town attacked by the AA

By Khaing Roe La 16 Nov 2019

Khaing Roe La | DMG
16 November, Rathedaung
 
Three battalions near Rathedaung town in Arakan State have been attacked by the AA on 15 November at around 11 p.m.
 
The gunfire was warning because the battalions have fired weapons towards Lai Gwin village, north of the town, the AA announced.
 
“The Tamadaw’s Light Infantry Battalion 536, 537, 538 have shot off more weapons recently, so we launched a counter attack as a warning as a response,” the AA’s spokesperson Khaing Thukha said.
 
The Tatmadaw denies the AA’s accusation saying that these battalions were not artillery regiments.
 
An identified villager from Nga/ Tauk Tu Chay village near the military battalions, however, said that the battalions did fire artillery every day.
 
“I heard that an artillery regiment was positioned at No 537 Light Infantry Battalion. There was gunfire from that battalion every day,” the villager told the DMG.
 
Colonel Win Zaw Oo from the Western Command said that the AA launched rockets from a distance to the battalions.
 
The AA’s rocket shells landed near Nga/Tauk Tu Chay near the battalion and hit a villager, he added.
 
“Their two shells landed at a place far from the battalion. Nothing happened to the battalion,” Colonel Win Zaw Oo told the DMG.
 
The AA made the accusation that the Tatmadaw shot gunfire towards the village and hit a villager.
 
“We went and attacked the battalions outside village area. But the Bama army retaliated the whole night firing weapons towards the village,” Khaing Thukha said. 
 
According to villagers, Daw Thein Aye Ma, a 30-year-old pregnant woman, received injuries while local people were trying to flee to nearby villages for safety by boat when they heard gunfire from both sides.
 
She received injuries to her breast and has been given medical treatment at Rathedaung hospital, said U Maung Mya Aye, administrator of Nga/ Tauk Tu village.
 
He added that villagers have currently fled to Rathedaung town, Nga/Tauk Tu Gyi village and Bar Hta Lay village as they were afraid of being interrogated by the Tatmadaw.