Military test-fires artillery near four Rakhine sea islands

Narinjara News, 19 February 2022

As the current military conflict in Rakhine State has gone slow, the army personnel have test-fired heavy artillery near four islands in the sea of Rakhine.

The experiment was conducted on 19 February at  Mayu island under Sittwe township, Nantha Kyunt island under Rathidaung township,  Man Aung island under  Man Aung township and Kyun Thar Yar island under Maebon township.

The shooting was done around 10 nautical miles near the four islands.

Rathidaung township administrator U Naing Lin Htet confirmed that the test-fire was planned accordingly.

“In Rathedaung, it is said to be around 10 miles near Mayu and Nantha islands. Fishing boats, ships and other vessels were warned not to visit to the vicinity as the army was preparing to test-fire artillery," he added.

However, he had no idea about the weapon and which batch was firing it.

An owner of a fishing boat in Man Aung township claimed that they were not notified about the experiment.

“We are worried over the artillery firing with no prior warning,” he stated.

The test firing is scheduled for 19 and 20 February at Man Aung island and Kyun Thar Yar camp.

Man  Aung township administration and Rakhine State security & border affairs minister Colonel Kyaw Thura could not be contacted for comments over the matter.

The gun-fighting broke out between the Arakan Army members and Burmese soldiers in northern Maungdaw township during the first week of February, but that has been stopped now. Many locals asserted that the military should not have conducted artillery tests at this moment.