Rathedaung – Starting at around 10:00am this morning, Myanmar military backed by several gunboats has been continuously shelling artillery in the region between Rathedaung and Townships, triggering panic amidst Rohingya civilians stuck of casualties, a reliable source reported.

The fight is said to be going on between Myanmar military along with Security Forces and Arakan Army (AA) troops in the said region, where the Myanmar military are said to have brought many naval gunboats to attack Arakan Army.

“Indiscriminate shelling by Myanmar troops and gunboats are hitting civilian villages and their houses. People are feared of getting killed and injured in the fighting. We heard a person was killed in a nearby village but we can’t go out to confirm it for now,” said a local on the condition of anonymity.

Amidst the Rohingya houses hit by bullets, one house belongs to U Lalu s/o Azimullah from ‘Nyaung Pin Gyi’ village in Rathedaung Township.

After the massive scale of genocidal violence against Rohingya on August 25, 2017 and afterwards, only three Rohingya villages in Rathedaung Township, located bordering Buthidaung Township, have remained standing.

[Edited by M.S. Anwar]