Local residents from three villages in Buthidaung Township have been displaced from their homes due to continuous artillery firing that occurred on Friday morning.

There was heavy mortar fire since Thursday and about 190 people from Sangotaung, Nwayonetaung and Chashertaung villages fled to Zedidaung village on April 18, an administrator for Zedidaung village said.

“Yesterday, 192 villagers arrived here. More are arriving today and registering now. We will provide them with food assistance for two days,” said Zedidaung village administrator U Kyaw Than.

The villagers fled from their homes due to non-stop artillery fire from Htatehtoopauk that is just about one mile far from Nwayonetaung village, said U Saw Tun Wai, villager from Nwayonetaung.

“We came here around 4 p.m yesterday. We were afraid of the barrage of artillery fire. We ran to any direction could we see. We met one another at Zedidaung village.” he said.

On April 18, all residents from Baungdwet village, Mrauk-U Township, fled from their homes due to non-stop artillery firing.