Arakan residents gripped by fear as junta airstrikes intensify

By Admin 05 Mar 2026

DMG Newsroom

5 March 2026, Ponnagyun

Residents in Arakan State say they are living in constant fear as Myanmar’s military regime intensifies its aerial bombardments, resulting in mass civilian casualties and a growing sense of insecurity.

Locals say the regime’s round-the-clock reconnaissance and bombing missions using Y-12 aircraft have left them without any sense of psychological safety.

“When we hear planes circling overhead, everyone fears the next bomb. We can’t even sleep soundly at night. Sometimes, the sound of a passing car is mistaken for an aircraft, and people scramble for cover. We are mentally scarred by the mass casualties we’ve witnessed; those images haunt us and keep us awake,” said a resident of Ponnagyun Township.

Fear has surged particularly following the Yoengu Village incident, where an airstrike resulted in a mass casualty event.

Since the beginning of this year, the military regime has carried out a series of airstrikes across Arakan State, frequently targeting civilian-populated towns and villages.

“There is no peace of mind. You’re constantly worried about when the bombs will fall on your neighborhood. With planes circling every day, the anxiety is overwhelming. I lie awake wondering if tonight is the night,” said a woman in Mrauk-U Township.

In Kyauktaw Township, which has experienced numerous attacks, the trauma from the Yoengu incident has driven many families to sleep in makeshift bomb shelters.

“Recently, jets have been flying so frequently at night that it’s impossible to rest. By 10 p.m., the elderly are too frightened to close their eyes. When we hear the jet engines, all we can do is lie flat in a safe spot and hope for the best,” another resident said.

According to data compiled by DMG, there have already been 15 separate mass killing incidents in Arakan State, defined as attacks resulting in 10 or more deaths, caused by junta airstrikes.

Human rights activists say the deliberate targeting of civilians in areas controlled by the Arakan Army (AA) appears to be a dual strategy aimed at slowing the revolutionary momentum and ruling the population through fear.

“International human rights organizations remain largely silent while the people of Arakan are being crushed under the junta’s aerial assault. In this helpless situation, people must remain extremely vigilant. We have reached a critical point where monitoring the skies and preparing for early warnings is the only way to survive,” said a local human rights activist.

With the death toll rising, residents are calling for the urgent installation of effective air raid siren systems and early warning mechanisms to help prevent further loss of life.