AB News – May 5, 2024
In a tragic incident, the State Administration Council (SAC) terrorist group initiated aerial strikes on the village of Min Tat, situated approximately 3 miles from the town of Tat Taung, Ann Township, resulting in the death of a 12-grader and injuring five others, as confirmed by villagers.
According to eyewitness accounts, the terrorist group deployed fighter jets to drop two bombs on Min Tat village around 2 p.m. on May 4th, which exploded near the bridge connecting the villages of Tan Tin and Min Tat.
The victim, identified as Maung Thu Ra Phyoe, an 18-year-old war refugee and son of U Kyan Tin from Ward No.1 of Tat Taung, tragically lost his life on the spot, with a bomb shrapnel fatally striking his left eye. An elderly villager from Min Tat, speaking anonymously, provided these details to AB News.
Among the injured were five individuals, all war refugees, who were walking near the bridge during the airstrike. The injured parties include:
- U Aung Tin Maung, 44, son of U Hla Kyawt Aung from Min Tat village, whose left leg sustained serious injury from bomb shrapnel.
- Ma Aye Myint, 14, daughter of U Nga Kyaung from Dat Taw village.
- Maung Phone Myint Zaw, 16, son of U Maung Myint Than from Me Kan Htaung village.
- Maung Thet Paing Soe, 20, son of U Mya Win.
- Maung Thar Thar, 20, son of U Kyaw Than.
Min Tat village, situated approximately 28 miles away from the Headquarters of Western Military Command of the SAC in Ann Township, had been serving as a refuge for those fleeing from frequent aerial bombardments on villages, including the subsidiary town of Tat Taung. It has been reported that no fighting was ongoing near the village at the time of the attack.
The SAC’s continued bombardments on civilian targets, amidst heavy offensive attacks by the Arakan Army on Taw Hein Taung and NaPaKha Military Outposts, have raised concerns of war crimes being committed in the region.