An artillery shell fired by Myanmar Army on May 26 landed in Paletwa’s Maung Hna Ma village, injuring two villagers, one in a very serious condition has been treated in Paletwa General Hospital, according to Paletwa IDPs Relief Group.

“Myanmar Army’s battalion No. 289 fired about nine shells of artillery yesterday. Another three shells were fired this morning. The fires targeted Arakan Army (AA)’s troops who were camping in the forest close to Maung Hna Ma village. An artillery shell landing in the village injured two people. The one who suffers a very serious injury has been hospitalized in Paletwa,” a member of Paletwa IDPs Relief Group said.

Following recent intense armed clashes between AA and Myanmar troops in Rakhine State, a renewed armed confrontation between the two parties in Paletwa Township’s villages has forced hundreds of villagers to flee to nearby villages, he said.

“Currently, there is no military operation against AA on the ground. They are just firing several shells of artillery from their base afar,” he said. “One of them landed in the village. Some people run for their lives to nearby villages while others remained hiding in the village.”

As armed clash between AA and Myanmar troops reignited in Paletwa Township, rice sale to Paletwa has also been limited since early this month, which results in the increase of rice price. At present, even a bag of low-quality rice costs 30,000 kyats.

“The effect of rice sale limitation is more appalling in rural area than that of urban area like Paletwa,” a social worker who helps IDPs in Paletwa Township said.

Villagers who had suffered rights abuses from both AA and Myanmar troops in Paletwa Township told Chin World that some villagers faced abduction committed by AA troops while others ordered to serve compulsory forced labor by Myanmar troops.