- Web Master
- October 13, 2024
Naung Min Thu
"Many artillery shells were transported to the
5th border guard police battalion in five cars. We also observed a significant
number of soldiers coming," said a local witness.
On 20 May morning, two landing barges anchored in Naf
river and transported a large volume of military equipment to the 5th battalion
via motorboats through the entry-exit jetty to Maungdaw.
"As Maungdaw is a border town, the military junta
will defend it strongly. Although the fighting at 4-mile is currently stopped,
the junta soldiers are still conducting airstrikes with jet fighters," he
added.
Now anyone traveling from Maungdaw to Sittwe needs to
pay between Kyats 800000 and 1 million to ride the landing barges on the return
journey. If they go to Yangon, they have to pay up to Kyats 3 million.
"If you travel from Maungdaw to Sittwe by the
landing barges, the fare will be Kyats 1 million. The journey to Yangon may
cost up to Kyats 3 million. Wealthier Muslims are paying Kyats 3 million to
visit Yangon,” said a Muslim resident of Maungdaw.
In March and April, there were four instances of
sending reinforcements including soldiers, weapons, food items and fuel to
Maungdaw through Kanyin Chaung economic zone.
During that period, landing barges charged Kyats
300,000 for a government employee and Kyats 500,000 per civilian for travelling
to Sittwe.
After the Arakha Army (AA) captured Hla Phoe Khaung
10th border guard police battalion, it became unsafe for landing barges to dock
at Kanyin Chaung economic zone. So reinforcements were ferried to Maungdaw
point of entry-exit jetty using motorboats from landing barges anchored in Naf
river.
This month, reinforcements were sent through the
Maungdaw point of entry-exit jetty on two occasions (15 and 20 May).