Four students were severely injured by an artillery shell blast at Myauk Taung village in Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State, at around 4 p.m. on February 11, locals said.
Myauk Taung village is situated near Tinma village, where clashes have occurred with regularity in recent days between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA).
An anonymous resident said that an explosion occurred while students from Myauk Taung village were playing football along the riverbank near the village.
Mg Oo Than Kyaw, 18, suffered a severe chest wound, while Mg Ko Ko Hein, also 18, lost his left arm. A 16-year-old and 8-year-old also suffered injuries to their leg and face respectively.
“I felt really sad when I saw them. We all [village residents] cried. The parents of the injured lost consciousness when they saw their children,” a Myauk Taung villager said.
The wounded are currently receiving treatment at Kyauktaw Hospital, and Mg Oo Than Kyaw’s condition is considered serious.
The Arakan Army (AA) stated on February 10 that Tatmadaw soldiers launched an attack on a hill near Tinma village where the AA forces were stationed. The ethnic armed group said the offensive included two helicopter gunships.
Locals said that clashes have persisted for about four days near the hill, and are ongoing.
