6 wounded, 9 houses damaged in Min Bya firing

Narinjara News, 28 September 2022

At least 6 villagers including a 14 years old boy were injured and nine houses were also damaged while Junta forces deliberately fired on some villages in Minbya Township on Tuesday morning and afternoon hours.

A villager said that the junta soldiers’ unprovoked firing from the air and navy vessels injured 6 villagers including a 14 years old boy and also damaged nine houses in the incident that covered the villages of Phalong Pyin, Koung Laung Chaung and Sakre in Min Bya Township under Mrauk U district.

On 27 September at about 12:30 pm, the junta soldiers fired a shell on Phalong Pyin village, where Maung Kyaw Naing Oo (18) and Ma Nan Li (4, daughter of U Maung Hla Than) were injured.

"The army personnel fired many shells from Mae Taung Mountain near Min Bya town. It was not fired from the navy vessel. The soldiers were firing at several places for some days. However, the injuries to the persons were not serious,” aaid a villager.

The houses belonging to U Kyaw Than Maung and U Maung Tun Tin were also damaged by the artillery fires.

 Similarly, a military plane and a vessel were used to fire on Kaung Long Chaung  village for of three times (8:30 am, 10 am and  2:40 pm), said a villager where a house was damaged.

 Another accident took place during 8 to 9 am yesterday at Sakre village, where four villagers were injured and six houses damaged. The Min Bya based soldiers even used heavy weapons.

A resident of Sakre village confirmed that the injuries are not serious. Most of them sustained injuries on fingers, arms, chests and legs. They were treated locally in village clinics.

On 26 September, a heavy shell was exploded on Kaund Long Chaung village injuring one pregnant woman along with a child and young man.

The Arakan Army members opened fire on two military vessels on 26 September, which were transporting rations through the Sittwe-Min Bya waterway. One ship was damaged in the attack.

Responding to it, the military helicopters were used to target nearby villages. Locals alleged that the soldiers were deliberately shooting the villagers with small and heavy arms.