Myanmar’s military regime has been using aerial drones to launch attacks in its renewed conflict with the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State, at times using the technology to target civilians, according to local residents.

Junta drones dropped bombs near Tan Khoe Village in Ponnagyun Township on Saturday, said villagers.

“We saw three drones flying above our village at around 9 a.m. on Saturday. They dropped bombs. One of bombs hit a mango tree, and another landed near our village. There were no casualties,” he said.

The use of drones presents another threat from above for Arakan State residents already fearful of artillery strikes and fighter jets, both of which have been reported in attacks on villages in recent days.

“They have already been conducting artillery strikes and we are concerned that they are now using drones. They fired shots at our village, and we had to flee,” said another villager.

A resident was reportedly injured in a junta drone attack in Kywe Htoe Village, Ponnagyun Township, on November 10.

Some 4,000 residents of at least seven villages including Tan Khoe, Kywe Htoe and Padetha have fled recent artillery and drone attacks, and raids by Myanmar military troops.

“The Myanmar military has been constantly using drones in the ongoing fighting across Arakan State,” said AA spokesman U Khaing Thukha, who said no such technology was deployed by the military in its previous conflict with the Arakanese ethnic armed group from 2018-2020. “They use Russian-made drones mostly. They have also used smaller drones.”

DMG was unable to reach regime spokesman Major-General Zaw Min Tun and Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyaw Thura for comment on reports about junta drones being deployed for combat and reconnaissance purposes in Arakan State.

In June 2020, the Arakan Army said it had seized an Israeli-made Skylark I-LEX drone sent by the Myanmar military on a reconnaissance mission over Rathedaung Township, presenting photographic evidence to bolster its claim.