AB News – May 15, 2024
The military council, SAC, which has lost control of 9 out of 17 townships in Arakan, continues to commit war crimes and human rights violations. Over the past several days, artillery shelling and aerial assaults have killed 16 civilians and injured at least 53.
The SAC has been flagrantly committing war crimes, intentionally targeting civilian objects protected under international humanitarian laws such as medical facilities, schools, religious structures, and residential areas.
In May alone, it has conducted arson attacks on towns and villages, arrested and summarily executed civilians, and carried out artillery and aerial bombardments against civilian targets.
On May 14, just after midnight, the Air Force of the Military Council carried out two aerial assaults on the primary hospital in Wei Gree Htaunt village, Kyauk Taw Township.
This attack caused 95% destruction of the hospital, resulted in fatalities among patients, and seriously injured at least 20 people, AB News has learned.
Around 12:05 a.m. on May 15, the Air Force bombed a school in Lamadaw village near Kyauk Taw town, severely wounding four war refugees taking shelter there, according to a Kyauk Taw resident.
“Last night after midnight, SAC bombed the school, and four war refugees taking shelter inside were seriously injured,” he said.
Similarly, Kin Chaung village in Maungdaw Township was attacked around noon, resulting in the deaths of four villagers, severe injuries to six others, and the destruction of the village monastery and nearly 20 houses.
In Thandwe Township, artillery shells fired from Verdaung Check Point exploded in Aut Nat Maw village, causing fatalities among four villagers, Thandwe residents confirmed.
On May 12, artillery shells fired from Nakhakha (5) near Maungdaw town landed and exploded in Thar Yar Goon and Ngwe Taung villages. Two villagers in Thar Yar Goon were hit by shrapnel and sustained severe injuries.
On the same day, SAC bombed Laung Chaung village in Myo Chaung Village Tract, Kyauk Phyu Township, severely injuring one man and causing destruction to school classrooms.
On May 9, joint forces of SAC troops from Nakhakha (5), Myo Thu Gyi, and militant Bengali Muslims launched arson attacks on Shwe Yin Aye village in Maungdaw Township, destroying over 50 homes and arresting and killing two locals from Chee Rur Ten village near the 3-mile village.
On May 7, the joint forces of SAC soldiers and militant Bengali Muslims raided Vesali (Weithali) Ward near the 3-mile junction, torched houses, and shot a woman dead.
The terrorist military council also demolished four bridges in Maungdaw Township and two in Buthidaung Township.
On May 6, aerial assaults by the Air Force of SAC on Alay Kyun village in Kyauk Taw Township killed a father and son, injured six other villagers, and destroyed the monastery and homes.
Since November 13, 2023, fighting between the Arakan Army and the Military Council has been ongoing for seven months. During this conflict, the Arakan Army has taken full control of nine townships and continues offensives against remaining SAC military installations in Buthidaung and Maungdaw on the Arakan-Bangladesh border, as well as in Ann, where the headquarters of the Western Military Command is located, and in Thandwe.
The SAC, losing one town after another, has resorted to war crimes and human rights violations by attacking civilian targets, including towns, villages, schools, religious structures, healthcare facilities, and bridges with their land, naval, and air forces in the most inhumane manner.