Khaing Roe La — Fierce fighting was reported after the Arakan Army attacked the No. 9 Advanced Training School near Kanni village in Arakan State’s Minbya Township on the morning of March 23, MPs and residents said.

Exchanges of fire followed the AA’s attack on the training school at about 4 a.m. on Monday and clashes intensified near the training school area, said U Sit Naing, the Pyithu Hluttaw lawmaker for Minbya Township.

“People near May Lwan village, near the fighting area, said airplanes bombarded,” U Sit Naing said.

Villagers, who were frightened by the ferocity of the hostilities, said the Tatmadaw used helicopters and jet fighters during Monday’s clashes.

“Gunfire was trained on the mountainside. We saw burning on the mountain. We are living north of the training school,” said a resident of Pyaing Chaung village.

AA spokesperson Khaing Thukha confirmed the fighting in the area but said he was not yet aware of details.

DMG phoned the Tatmadaw True News Information Team’s Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun and Major-General Tun Tun Nyi, and the spokesperson for the military’s Western Command, Colonel Win Zaw Oo, seeking comment on the fighting, but they could not be reached.