Narinjara News, 5 July 2022

At least six armed members of Arakan Army (AA) were killed and several otherswounded in an airstrike on an AA base in 5th brigade area of KNU in Karen Statenear the Thailand-Burma international border.

The attack, carried out by two junta fighter jets, took place at 12:25 pm on 4July, said AA spokesman Khaing Thukha.

"It can be concluded that the military attack was intentional, because itis far away from the current fighting area. It means the military councilintended to carry out the bombing,” he added.

The AA also issued a statement regarding it soon after the airstrikes. Itadmitted that some AA members were killed and several others were wounded inthe attack.

Because of the airstrikes, some buildings including a hospital and a garmentfactory inside the camp were also destroyed, stated the AA statement.

According to the statement, two fighter jets belonging to the military councilentered into Thailand airspace after the sudden bombing of an AA base near theinternatonal border from the Burmese (Karen) side.

Khaing Thukha asserted that the AA is still investigating the cause of theattack. He denied any more details over the incident.

Mentionable is that the AA is one of the primary armed groups fighting againstthe military council in Rakhine State in the western border of Myanmar (Burma).It has more than 30,000 trained members.

Some members  were stationed in the allied territories near the China-Burmaborder (including Kachin, Kokang areas) as well as KNU areas on Thailand-Burmaborder.

From 2018 to 2020, the AA members engaged in heavy gunbattles with the Burmesearmy personnel in Rakhine State. Soon after the November 2020 national elections,a informal ceasefire was agreed between the Burmese Army and AA.

Earlier on 19 November 2014, eight AA officer cadets were killed when the Burmese troops fired artillery on a KIO military official training school.