CAN/ Myat Thu
On the afternoon of October 30, the military council attacked the local people of Maungg Village in Taungkok Township with machine guns from the air. According to family members of the deceased, five innocent civilians lost their lives, and five others sustained severe injuries.
On October 30, at around 12:00 noon, the military council launched an aerial attack on Maungg village, using machine guns from a helicopter. As a result, four local women and one man lost their lives, and five other residents sustained serious injuries.
The deceased include 31-year-old Naing Lin Soe, 48-year-old Ma Kyan Tin, 49-year-old Kyan Tin, and two 14-year-olds, Su Myat Win and Wat Yae Win. Those who sustained injuries are 36-year-old Maung Hpya Chay, 56-year-old Thaung Aye, 17-year-old Su Ma Phyo, 65-year-old Tin Aye, and 47-year-old Khin Khin San from Maungg village.
A family member of Daw Kyan Tin, who was 48 years old and involved in the deceased, said that it was not an explosion but rather gunfire from a machine gun and aerial attacks. When the shooting started, the villagers panicked and fled. The assailants then pursued the fleeing locals with gunfire, hitting some in the process. “My aunt was attacked twice, the bullets stabbed from behind and escaped from the front”, he said.
On October 29, there was also the military council conducted airstrikes on the village of Mie Kyaung Htoe with jet fighters, resulting in extensive damage to many houses within the village. A resident of Taungkok reported that it is still unclear whether there were civilian casualties.
“Indeed, the military junta had previously conducted airstrikes with jet fighters in Mie Kyaung Htoe before the recent events, resulting in damage to houses. Communication lines to that area have also been cut off, so we still do not have detailed information about the situation. We are continuing to investigate,” he said.
In the Taungkok District, while there have not been intense confrontations between the military council forces and Arakan Army, the military council frequently conducts airstrikes on civilian areas. As a result, there have been numerous casualties among the local population.
