On March 22, the military council conducted aerial attacks on Ponnakyun and Pauktaw townships in Rakhine State, areas under the control of the Arakan Army (AA). The attacks, which occurred in the morning hours, resulted in significant damage to civilian homes, schools, and religious buildings according to local residents. Confirmed reports indicate that the military council used 500-pound bombs during these attacks.
The military council’s fighter jets conducted two separate attacks on Kyaw Zan village in Ponnakyun Township around 9 AM, dropping at least four bombs. Additionally, Thaychaung village in Pauktaw Township was targeted around 3 AM with two separate bombing runs using 500-pound bombs. Local sources confirmed that the attacks caused extensive damage to schools, residential homes, and monasteries in the area. The ongoing military operations have forced thousands of civilians from approximately twenty villages in Ponnakyun Township and more than ten villages in Pauktaw Township to flee their homes since January.
Using the ongoing conflicts near Sittwe city as justification, the military council’s army and navy forces have been continuously conducting artillery strikes and aerial attacks on non-military targets in Ponnakyun, Pauktaw, and Rathedaung areas. The military council’s artillery threats and airstrikes have forced thousands of residents from villages adjacent to Sittwe Township to abandon their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. These attacks on civilian areas demonstrate the military council’s continued use of disproportionate force against civilian populations, causing widespread displacement and destruction of essential infrastructure in Rakhine State.
