1-3-2024 (YANGON) Tragedy struck western Rakhine State in Myanmar as at least 12 civilians lost their lives in a bustling market when artillery shells rained down, igniting a blame game between the ruling military and anti-junta forces amidst the country’s ongoing turmoil.
The Arakan Army (AA), an insurgent group active in Rakhine State along the border with Bangladesh, asserted that a military warship off the port city of Sittwe fired shells into the Myoma market on Thursday, resulting in 12 fatalities and over 80 injuries.
In response, the junta issued a statement on the state channel Myawaddy TV, countering that the AA was responsible for the shellfire. However, the junta refrained from confirming the exact number of casualties.
Reuters, at this stage, was unable to independently verify the incident, as areas including Sittwe and other towns in Rakhine are currently experiencing information blackouts. The junta has re-imposed internet and mobile data restrictions in the state, exacerbating challenges in accessing real-time information.
Myanmar has been ensnared in a relentless cycle of violence since the military seized power in a coup against the elected government in 2021. Since October, the junta has grappled with a significant challenge to its authority, as armed rebel groups orchestrated coordinated attacks on military outposts across the country.
Rakhine State has become a focal point of conflict between the AA and the junta, particularly in the vicinity of the state capital, Sittwe, a vital port and trading hub along the Bay of Bengal. The spokesperson for the ethnic armed group revealed that the AA has successfully ousted junta troops from at least five towns, including Paletwa, a crucial trading post, and Ponnagyun, located a mere 34 km from Sittwe.
