Villagers along Sittwe-Ponnagyun border flee junta artillery attacks

By Admin 24 Dec 2024

DMG Newsroom
24 December 2024, Sittwe

Hundreds of local people from villages on the border of Arakan State's Sittwe and Ponnagyun townships are reportedly fleeing junta artillery attack and airstrikes.

About 180 households from Kuntaung and Hsininngyi villages, Padetha old village and Padetha new village in Ponnagyun Township were displaced by the junta shellings and aerial attacks.

"A loud sound from a junta airstrike was heard yesterday. The junta conducted aerial bombardment on villages close to Sittwe. Local people fled to nearby villages in fear," said a local man from Hsininngyi Village.

The Myanmar military and Arakkha Army (AA) exchanged heavy weapons fire near villages on the border of Sittwe and Ponnagyun townships on December 21 and 22. The regime also conducted airstrikes and fired mortar shells targeting residential areas in Sittwe Township.

The AA has been warning locals to evacuate in advance for the past few days, telling them that fighting in Sittwe could soon intensify.

"The AA has warned locals to flee in advance as fighting could escalate in Sittwe. The sounds of blasts have been heard in recent days. A few people remain in Kuntaung Village. Locals from Hsininngyi and Padetha villages have fled to safer locations," said a resident of Ponnagyun.

One civilian was killed and four others were injured after the regime shelled Padetha Village on December 17.

The AA announced on December 20 that it had seized two-thirds of the southernmost town of Gwa in Arakan State, where fighting has been intense. If Gwa falls, the AA will have only three other townships in Arakan State to occupy: Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung.