Junta helicopter fires indiscriminately near Ponnagyun Twsp village: locals

By Admin 21 Nov 2023

DMG Newsroom
21 November 2023, Ponnagyun
 
A Myanmar junta helicopter fired multiple rounds indiscriminately near Minzichaung Village, part of Arakan State’s Ponnagyun Township, at about 12 noon on November 21, locals reported. 

The chopper fired on farmlands near Minzichaung Village for 10 minutes without fighting or other provocation, and no casualties were reported, according to locals.

“A Myanmar junta helicopter fired multiple gunshots indiscriminately without fighting. Some locals were drying the paddy in the sun and some were searching for fish,” said a local man.

Some residents from Minzichaung, Yinchaung and Latmaseik villages have since fled to safer locations in fear.

“The junta helicopter fired multiple gunshots, but no casualties were reported. We are still afraid. I, along with my children, fled to a safer location,” said a local woman from Yinchaung Village.

Meanwhile, residents from villages along the Kaladan River are worried about their safety as a Myanmar Navy vessel sailing from Kyauktaw opened fire at about 12:30 p.m. on November 21.

“We hid in a bomb shelter as a Myanmar Navy vessel heading to Kyauktaw opened heavy weapons and small arms fire,” said a local woman from Nyaungpinle Village in Mrauk-U Township.

Following the renewed Myanmar military-AA hostilities that began on November 13, rising civilian casualties in Arakan State have been reported largely as incidents involving indiscriminate junta shellings and gunfire.

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Arakan State Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Kyaw Thura regarding the matter.