Naung Min Thu, Narinjara News, 19 December 2024

Two 14-year-old 9th standard students from U Daung village were injured by the artillery shell-firing from the junta’s navy vessels in the southern sea of Maungdaw township on 18 December.

"Four friends were fishing on the bank of a creek when the navy, stationed in the sea near Kyauk Pan Du and U Daung areas, fired artillery shells over them. They immediately ran for cover, but one shell landed nearby and two of them were struck by shell shrapnel. One required three stitches in his hip and the other one needed nine stitches in his left thigh," said a family member.

The injured students are identified as Maung Aung Min Hein (14) and Maung Zaw Lin Hein (13).

The shelling began at around 4 pm on Wednesday, when the junta's navy vessels continuously fired artillery shells over the villages and military camps, occupied by the Arakan Army (AA) in southern Maungdaw locality.

A local resident from Ah Lel Than Kyaw village said, “We saw a large warship and three navy vessels near Kyauk Pan Du and U Daung areas. The navy personnel fired artillery shells continuously for two days over the villages and also military camps fell to the AA. They started firing in the evening and continued till midnight hours. I don’t know the purpose of the attacks. The AA fighters are also firing artillery shells in return.”

At the dawn of 19 December, four shells were fired from these navy vessels. Between 2 and 4 am, the artillery shells were also fired at the 4th Border Guard Police Battalion (NaKhaKha-4) and the foothills of Mayu mountain ranges.

Similarly, on 18 December, the navy personnel fired three artillery shells during noon hours that exploded near Kaing Gyi village. Fortunately, none was injured, said local residents.

On 17 December  at around 6 pm, the junta navy personnel fired three artillery shells near the Ah Lel Than Kyaw, Hna Khaung To and Ma Gyi Chaung camps.

As the junta naval fleet continues to fire artillery shells, many innocent civilians sustained injuries and it causes a growing concern among the villagers living near the beach.