Residents of Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U townships in Arakan (Rakhine) State, currently under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), said they have been living in growing fear following the junta airstrikes targeting civilian-populated areas.
The junta carried out nighttime airstrikes on February 12 in the two townships, killing seven people, including children, and injuring 16 others, according to local sources. Several homes were also destroyed in the attacks.
Residents described an increasingly fragile security situation, saying airstrikes have expanded beyond military targets to include populated areas, leaving civilians feeling exposed and unsafe.
"Fear is everywhere now. We have to worry all the time because we never know when the next strike will happen. Now we are always thinking about when and where death might come. There is no place that feels safe anymore. Even if you survive one bombing, you don’t know if you will survive the next. The trauma is overwhelming," said a woman from Paikthae Ward in Kyauktaw.
The persistent threat of airstrikes has forced many residents to temporarily relocate, disrupting livelihoods, education and daily routines. Locals said resentment toward the coup regime is also growing.
"Everyone feels unsafe now. We are always looking for safer places while wondering where the next bomb will fall. People’s anger toward the junta is growing, everyone is living with both fear and resentment. Some people are extremely cautious, while others risk their lives just to carry on with daily work," said a man from Kyauktaw.
In Mrauk-U Township, residents reported sleepless nights and heightened anxiety amid fears of further attacks.
"The junta uses the presence of the AA as an excuse to carry out airstrikes that end up killing civilians. We have no way to protect ourselves. Even when walking in our own neighborhoods, we are always looking up, afraid a jet fighter might suddenly appear. Since warplanes are targeting towns, villages and public gatherings, our anxiety is at its highest level," said a woman from Mrauk-U.
Many residents said economic hardship prevents them from fleeing to safer areas, forcing them to remain in high-risk zones, despite fears for their safety.
Fighting between the AA and the junta has continued across Arakan State for more than two years. Local observers said the junta has increasingly relied on airpower amid battlefield setbacks nationwide, with airstrikes causing significant civilian casualties as well as long-term psychological trauma, particularly among children.
