Maung Sar Ga, Narinjara News, 13 September 2024

The military junta's airstrikes targeted the places where the Arakan Army (AA)holds the prisoners of war with an aim to silence them, said AA spokesman UKhaing Thukha.

"The airstrikes on the places where the prisonersof war are held were aimed to cover up the junta’s crimes including masskillings, deliberate burning of towns and inciting religious & ethnicviolence. Key witnesses to these crimes are military officers, commanders andothers, who followed Min Aung Hlaing’s orders and now the prisoners of war.That is why the junta soldiers are targeting these locations," he added.

The junta conducted airstrikes on the AA’s temporary prison at 2nd border guardpolice battalion (NaKhaKha-2) in Maungdaw and on the AA’s temporary medicalcenter in Shin village under Pauktaw township. These attacks killed 70civilians including some prisoners of war.

Narinjara News asked AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha about these two incidentsand  he replied as described above.

The airstrikes on 9 September at around 9:30 pm atNaKhaKha-2 battalion killed more than 50 people and injured 70 others.

The victims included the prisoners of war from the battle tocapture Maungdaw,  members of ARSA & RSO terrorist groups,  armedpersonnel trained by the junta, allies of the junta forces, informers trainedby the military, individuals arrested for attempting to disrupt the ULA/AA andArakan national revolution, people associated with the ALP and individualsarrested on suspicion of different illegal activities.

Similarly, on 8 September at around 7:00 pm, the junta struck the AA’stemporary medical center in Shin village, which was treating the prisoners ofwar and other inmates.

This attack killed 17 people, including some prisonersseeking medical care, informants, those suspected of sending AA information tothe junta, convicts, prison officials, AA health workers, and civiliansincluding the children. Ten  people sustained moderate to criticalinjuries.

"I believe the junta’s main goal is to kill these witnesses,"asserted U Khaing Thukha.

He also noted that the AA medical staff are treatingthose with non-fatal injuries from the airstrikes.

During a visit to Karenni and Shan States on 3, 4September, junta chief senior general Min Aung Hlaing announced his plans toretake areas controlled by the resistance forces. He urged the people to avoidbeing used by the armed resistance and to prioritize their safety with thejunta forces.

The junta forces conducted airstrikes in Arakan State,northern Shan State, Magway region, Sagaing region, Mandalay region, KarenniState and Bago region.

In response, Three Brotherhood Alliance (3BHA) comprising the AA, issued amessage and urged the  people to be cautious about the risk of frequentairstrikes.

Photograph: AA medical staff provide treatment to the wounded individuals afterthe junta’s airstrikes on AA's temporary prison in  Maungdaw