November 14, 2022
Fighting between military council troops and the Arakan Army (AA) in the mountains about a mile from Yan Aung Pyin village in northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, has been fierce since about 11 am on November 14, according to local residents.
A resident of Yan Aung Pyin told DMG that artillery was fired at the battlefield from the checkpoints of Border Guard Division (7) and (24), locally known as Na Kha Kha, stationed in Kyaing Chaung.
“The fighting has been going on since 11 am. They are taking place in the mountains north of our village and are fierce. We have heard shots from light and heavy weapons. Artillery shells have also hit near our village and all the people are stuck in the village,” he said.
Yan Aung Pyin village consists of 140 households and about 500 people. According to reports, villagers are stuck in the village while few have fled to safer places.
On November 12, the military council approached and strafed areas near the village with two fighter jets. The junta soldiers also entered the village and interrogated villagers, said another resident.
“They came to the village that day and called all the men. They checked the cell phones. They did that from 1 pm to 7 pm. They arrested one villager that day and later released him. Right now, the villagers have nowhere to flee. They have already entered the village three times,” he said.
Also on November 10, artillery shells from junta forces landed in the village and destroyed the houses of U Hla Thein Aung and Daw Aye Khin, residents said.
“I haven’t received any information about today’s clashes. But I learned that two houses in Yan Aung Pyin caught fire and were destroyed by artillery shells fired by junta troops at Kyaing Chaung checkpoint on November 10. Also on November 12, the area around Yan Aung Pyin was shelled,” said AA Information Officer U Khaing Thukha.
Calls to Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Col. Kyaw Thura and junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min about the incident went unanswered.
Fighting between military council troops and AA has resumed since August and clashes are currently occurring daily in Paletwa Township in Chin State and in several townships in Arakan State, including Kyauktaw, Ponngyun, Minbya, Rathedaung, Maungdaw and Buthidaung.
Sent by DMG.