Junta attacks kill 70 civilians in three weeks: rights group

By Admin 22 Jun 2024

DMG Newsroom
22 June 2024, Sittwe

Seventy civilians — 25 women and 45 men —  died at the hands of Myanmar’s military regime during the three-week period from June 1 to 21, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said in a report.

Among the victims were 13 children under the age of 18, while 12 were over the age of 60, the report said. Arakan State stood first with 32 deaths, of which 30 were caused by junta airstrikes, the AAPP said.

The AAPP said the casualty count was based on the information it could obtain, and that the actual number of civilians killed and injured could be higher on the ground.

“The regime carries out airstrikes on a daily basis,” said a social activist in Arakan State. “Civilian casualties continue to rise as the regime airstrikes target civilian areas. In order to reduce the brutal acts committed by junta soldiers, the international community needs to take action against the regime. Otherwise, civilian deaths will only increase.”

Regime airstrikes this month in Arakan State’s Ann, Maungdaw, Myebon, Kyauktaw, Pauktaw, Taungup and Thandwe townships caused many civilian casualties, among them women and children.

Three siblings were killed and two other people were injured in a junta air assault on Thelkanhtaung Village, Ann Township, on June 20.

A junta jet fighter also dropped multiple bombs on Tokechaung Village in Myebon Township on June 19, killing two locals and injuring five others.

Regime airstrikes in recent days have targeted civilian areas in Maungdaw, Ann, Thandwe and Taungup townships, where fighting between the military and Arakkha Army (AA) is fierce.

“The regime targets civilians without any fighting. The regime carries out airstrikes daily. The regime is conducting more airstrikes in southern Arakan State,” said a local woman in Thandwe Township.

A total of 268 civilians died and 640 others were injured at the hands of the regime over the six months from November 13 to May 13, according to the Humanitarian and Development Coordination Office of the United League of Arakan (ULA) and AA.