Following the ongoing battle with Arakan Army members, the junta forces have been shelling villages, which killed three women including two sisters along with a school teacher in Minbya township of Rakhine State on Monday.

Ma Hla San Yin (23 years old) and Ma San New Soe (10) were killed in Palong Byint village, while the teacher (Daw Ma Mya Soe) was killed in the Daunk Chaung Gyi village school premises.

On 17 October, a group of AA members attacked a Burmese army column at 11 am, where several soldiers lost their lives. Soon after the incident, the Minbya based army battalions opened fire on several villages with heavy weapons.

Many villages including Palong Byint, Daunk Chaung Gyi and Sun Gyi Byint were hit by the junta shelling where several villagers sustained injuries.

Besides two sisters were killed in Palong Byint village, an elder woman also received injuries. The teacher named Daw Ma Mya Soe was killed and six residents from Sun Gyi Byint village were injured and later they were hospitalized.

Eyewitnesses alleged that the soldiers from 541st battalion and Phara Ma Taung outpost of Minbya township used heavy weapons deliberately following the death of many soldiers.

A local resident alleged that whenever the Burmese military personnel faced a loss to AA members, they deliberately used heavy weapons.

After a number of soldiers were killed in the battle against AA members, the Minbya based battalions fired heavy weapons on civilian villages at about 11 am on Monday.

Three innocent local women were killed and at least 10 others were injured in the battle.

On 28 August, King Sit village under Mrauk U Township was hit by a shell at around 5 pm by the military council troops (377 and 540) based in the township even though there was no fighting taking place in the entire locality.