RAKHINE STATE – The artillery fire by junta artillery battalion in Sittwe killed an innocent civilian, according to local reports.
Junta artillery battalion 344 in Sittwe and junta navy headquarters on the Point Strand Road fired heavy weapons towards Pauktaw around 8:30 p.m. on December 27 and some of the shells landed and exploded in Taungnyo Village of Pauktaw Township, killing an innocent woman.
“The artillery shells fired by junta forces last night (December 27) landed and exploded in Taungnyo Village of Pauktaw Township. An innocent civilian woman was killed. The junta forces intentionally targeted the village, a civilian residential zone,” said the local news source.
The woman killed by junta artillery fire is reported to be Ms. Mya Thein Wai from Taungnyo Village. She was in her 50s.
Sittwe and Pauktaw lay on opposite sides of the Kaladan River and it is said that the junta artillery battalions in Sittwe fired at least 15 rounds.
In addition to Taungnyo Village, at least six artillery shells reportedly landed in Ngapyikyun Alal Village and Thayettaw Village as well.
The Arakan Army had launched an attack on the junta council’s Kyauktan Checkpoint at the entrance to Sittwe on December 27 morning.
Moreover, there have also been multiple exchanges of fire in recent days when the Arakan Army attacked the junta navy ships patrolling at the mouth of the Kaladan River between Sittwe and Pauktaw.
