Myanmar security personnel face the accusation of setting many houses on fire in Kun Daung village under  Buthidaung township, 80 miles north of the Arakanese capital city of Sittwe, on Friday.

A resident of Kun Daung village, who left his village to arrive at Sidaung village, informed that there was no visible clash between Tatmadaw and Arakan Army. Moreover, the fire was not apprehended to arise because of artillery shells. So the soldiers may have put those houses on fire, he assumed.

The arson attack in the village started by 2 pm and locals from neighbouring villages could see the rising spiral of flame with smoke in the sky, the villager added. According to him, at least 7 houses nearby the motor-road were gutted.

However, Myanmar Army’s western command spokesperson Brigadier  Win Zaw Oo denied the allegation saying that it was heavily raining in those areas yesterday. So it was impossible for the house set on fire by our soldiers. Furthermore, there was no troop in that village on Friday, he asserted.

U Aung Thaung Shwe, a member of Parliament from Buthidaung township stated that he got information including relevant photographs and television footage from locals about the incident.

He contradicted Brigadier  Win Zaw Oo’s comment that there was actually no rain on that locality at that time. Many villagers from Zaydi Taung, which is adjacent to Kun Daung village, could see the fire.

The Parliamentarian also claimed that many villages were deserted for two months now as the security forces continue fighting against AA members. The government has stationed army troops in those villages, he stated.

In another incident, a house in Nwa Yon Taung locality was set on fire by miscreants on 3 October last where it was blazed into ashes.