As the junta army unleashes its heavy weaponry, thousands of villagers are fleeing from some villages in Rakhine State's Ponnagyun Township.
Locals claim that in recent days, people have been fleeing some communities in Ponnagyun Township, such as Paday Thar Old Village, Paday Thar New Village, and Hngat Gyi Kyun.
"Since the junta force is now unable to battle with AA and is losing many areas, numerous villages in Ponnagyun Township near Sittwe are being shelled by heavy weaponry, not only from the land (ground) but also from the water and air. At the moment, the navy is also firing. We are being compelled to leave due to such assaults. We don’t know where the heavy weapons will land. They are shooting without any fight with AA in our areas," said a local.
According to locals, the terrorist army, navy, and air force stationed in Sittwe recently ramped up their artillery shelling of Ponnagyun Township, which is close to Sittwe. That is why the villagers are fleeing in fear of losing their lives, locals said.
Children, women, and the elderly are among those fleeing.
According to reports, artillery shells fired by Sittwe-based units landed and exploded in Hngat Gyi Kyun Village, Ponnagyun Township, at midday on August 26.
Nevertheless, since the majority of the residents had already left the village, except for a few houses that were destroyed, no one was hurt. The remaining people in the village have been fleeing ever since that day.
The Arakan Army (AA) seized the whole Ponnagyun Township on March 4, 2024, but certain villages close to Sittwe Township have been bombed by the junta forces stationed in Sittwe, aimed at creating chaos among the populace.
According to locals, the No. (12) Police Battalion in Sittwe and the Navy units in the vicinity of Sittwe, such as the 373rd Artillery, 20th Infantry Division, and the 232nd Infantry Division, are continuously bombarding the AA-controlled Ponnagyun, Pauktaw, and Rathedaung townships with heavy weapons.
On August 25 and 26, the terrorist forces conducted persistent aerial attacks on the AA-controlled Mrauk-U Township, Daingkyi Ward, and Minbya Township, close to Kyauk Khat Village, and Thabeik Taung, which is close to Taung Nyo Village in Pauktaw Township.
Among them, two bombs weighing 500 pounds each, detonated in the Daingkyi Ward of the Mrauk-U Township, killing 14 civilians—including innocent children—and wounding 18 more.
