Narinjara News, 25 September2022

The military juntaforces have burnt down a Rakhine village in southernButhidaung township bordering Bangladesh.

Thapike Taung Rakhine village was set on fire by Junta forces  after a series of artilleryshells was fired targeting the village, claimed the residents.

A numberof villagers from Thapike Taung Rakhine village, fled theirplaces Friday evening. The village has 60 houses and about 300 people.

“The Nakha Kha (8), border police headquarters fired theartillery on several locations within 7 am and 11:30 am on Friday. Atleast three shells fell in the south of our village (ThapikeTaung). 

Anothershell fell in the northern Muslim village that injured two people.Many villagers have fled to Buthidaung in search ofshelter,” said a villager.

As many villagersleft their places a group of junta soldiers and borderpolice personnel entered Thapike Taung village in the evening of the day. Theycontinued firing gunshots and even set some houses on fire.

Anothervillager informed that only a few elderly peopleare now left in the village. They can not run and even movebecause of various physical problems, he added.

The telephone andinternet services have been restricted in those areas and henceit is difficult to get proper information about those elderly villagers.

At least three shellswere fired over Thapike Thapike Taung village at noon on Saturday. Itcompelled the villagers to leave their places.

Arakan Princess Mediareported with a photograph that the militarycouncil’s battalion number 210 burned Thapike Taung Rakhinevillage at around 9 pm on Friday.