Military blamed for Rakhine shelling that killed five, including two seven-year-old children

Military blamed for Rakhine shelling that killed five, including two seven-year-old children

A local MP said there was no fighting with the Arakan Army before the attack on Nyaung Kan, which is seven miles from a Tatmadaw base 

Residents flee Nyaung Kan village after it is struck with artillery shells on the morning of September 8 (Supplied)

Two seven-year-old children are among five people killed by shelling in Rakhine that villagers have blamed on the Tatmadaw.

Nine others were injured when six explosions rocked Nyaung Kan village, in Myay Pon township, on Tuesday morning, a former village administrator said, requesting anonymity.

The village is about seven miles from a Tatmadaw base on a hill named Swi Chaung in Ann township, said San Phay, a Nyaung Kan villager. 

“They shot three times, and each time they did it two shells flew off,” he told Myanmar Now. 

 

 

“They hit the village directly, we could hear it. People died in their homes. But we don’t know why they fired,” he added.

Besides the two children, a 29-year-old primary school teacher, a 23-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman died.

 

 

Phay Than, an MP representing Myay Pon township, said there were no clashes with the Arakan Army (AA) near Nyaung Kan village on Tuesday. 

The village was usually peaceful and free of clashes, he said.

San Phay said: “The civilians were scared, and it’s tragic that they had to die when they had nothing at all to do with this situation. They went too far with this, shooting at civilians regardless of what’s happening between [the AA and the Tatmadaw].” 

Most of the Nyaung Kan’s 2,000 residents fled after the shelling, but about 100 stayed behind to take care of the village. 

Brigadier General Ye Yint Aung, of the Tatmadaw’s True News Information Team, said he was unaware of the shelling and would reply after speaking with people from the area.

Rakhine state’s security and border affairs minister, Colonel Min Than, and Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun from the True News Information Team did not answer calls seeking comment. 

The Arakan National Party has penned an open letter to President Win Myint, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and commander-in-chief Ming Aung Hlaing calling for an immediate halt to the military’s attacks.

The AA, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army have announced a ceasefire from September 1 to November 9. 

The military has also announced one from September 1 until the end of the month, but that excludes the AA, a group it officially labels a terrorist organisation. 

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BBC Burmese journalist Aung Thura was in front of the Dekkhina District court to report on a hearing for National League for Democracy patron Win Htein when he was arrested. Former Mizzima correspondent Than Htike Aung was with him at the time of the arrest.

No further details of the arrest or the reporters’ detention were known at the time of reporting, according to Aung Thura’s relative. 

“I saw some plainclothes officers dragging away a person in trousers into a car,” lawyer Min Min Soe, who was near the court at the time, told Myanmar Now. The man she saw is believed to be Than Htike Aung.  

“Two other officers in plainclothes were hassling another individual in a paso [traditional sarong for men] and glasses,” she said, referring to Aung Thura. “It was quite a scene so I don’t know what happened next.”

BBC News issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying that they are "doing everything [they] can" to find Aung Thura, who they described as being taken away by unidentified men.

“We call on the authorities to help locate him and confirm that he is safe,” the statement said.

As of March 16, a total of 38 journalists had been arrested or targeted for arrest since the February 1 coup. The latest arrests of the BBC and former Mizzima journalists push this number up to 40.  

Only 22 of these reporters have been released. Ten journalists have been charged with violating Section 505(a) of the penal code, which has been used against people who are seen as causing fear, spreading fake news, or agitating government employees. Under recent amendments to the law, the charges come with a three-year prison sentence if convicted.

Online news website The Irrawaddy has also been charged by the junta as violating the same statute for showing “disregard” for the armed forces in their reporting of the ongoing anti-regime protests.

Five publications, including Myanmar Now and Mizzima had their offices raided and their publishing licenses revoked earlier this month by the regime.

Editor's note: This story was updated to include the BBC's statement, which was not available at the original time of publishing.

 

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The regime’s forces also shot at and chased fleeing protesters along roads and through narrow alleys, a resident said.

“The crowd of protesters dispersed but one person was shot dead while trying to rescue those trapped in the protest site,” the resident added. 

As the crowd dispersed, a man riding a motorcycle was shot outside a branch of KBZ Bank. “He also died,” the resident said. 

Despite the murders, protesters gathered again in the afternoon around 4pm. Police and soldiers started shooting again and killed two people. 

“They were shot dead while trying to set up barricades at the protest site. They were shot while trying to obstruct the army’s way as the army troops chased and shot the trapped protestors,” the resident said. 

The two who were killed in the morning were identified as Salai Kyong Lian Kye O, who was 25, and Kyin Khant Man, who was 27 and had three children. The identities of the other two have not yet been confirmed.

Five people were also injured and then taken away. Locals said they did not know where they had been taken.   

 

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