A junta jet fighter dropped three 500-pound bombs on Bar Hta Lay and Nwa Tin Kote villages, both under Arakan Army (AA) control in Rathedaung Township, Arakan (Rakhine) State, on the morning of November 15, killing five civilians and injuring four others.

“A junta jet fighter bombed Bar Hta Lay at around 10:00 am, and shortly after, it struck Nwa Tin Kote as well. The airstrikes caused serious damage, and people were killed,” said a Rathedaung Township resident.

Two bombs struck Bar Hta Lay, killing three civilians and wounding four. Less than five minutes later, another 500-pound bomb hit Nwa Tin Kote Village, killing two civilians. DMG is still investigating the full details of casualties and the extent of the damage.

Earlier, on November 8, the junta bombed Kyauk Than Chay Village in neighbouring Ponnagyun Township, killing two residents and injuring one.

Residents of La Mone Taing, Lai Gwin, Lay Gwa Son, Nyaung Pin Hla, San Kar, Tun Yawai, Ahlelywar and Hcaparrhtarr, settlements located near Bar Hta Lay and Nwa Tin Kote, are now deeply worried about the possibility of further airstrikes.

“The villagers are worried and don’t know where to hide. With the junta also bombing Krein Tha and Kyauk Than Chay in recent days, people are starting to panic,” another Rathedaung resident said.

The coup regime has been carrying out frequent airstrikes on AA-controlled townships, causing rising civilian casualties, including children, and spreading fear among local communities.

Since the AA captured Rathedaung Township on March 17, 2024, the junta intensified its airstrikes in the region, carrying them out more often and with greater force. On May 13, a junta jet fighter bombed Tun Yawai Village, killing 12 civilians and injuring at least 23 others.

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