Over 360 battles broke out between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army (AA) over a five-month period from December 2018 to April 2019, AA’s spokesperson Khaing Thukha told the DMG.

Skirmishes broke out in Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U Townships on Tuesday, and the AA’s commandos attacked 13 military trucks on the road east of Thasi village in Kyauktaw Township, about 40 soldiers were killed from the Myanmar Army, the AA announced.

“We let people know that we sent the request letter to Amyotha and Pyithu Hluttaw addressing the President, State Counsellor and Commander-in-Chief. The letter was sent on May 9,” said U Aung Htay, chairperson of Western Door Region Relief Organization.

Six out of 275 men from Kyauktan village were killed and eight others injured by gunfire during 14 days of interrogation and three out of 27 villagers from Letka village died during the Tatmadaw’s detention for questioning.

The ongoing fighting between the Tatmadaw and AA has escalated between May 12 and 14, both sides have causalities.

One of 8 detained villagers who was injured in the shooting at Kyauktan village died at Yangon’s North Okkalapa Hospital during medical treatment, according to his family.

Since Arakan State’s salt manufacturing has been using a 30-year-old technology, the industry is struggling to move forward, said Arakan State Salt Manufacturers’ Association.

Displaced people from skirmishes who took refuge in some monasteries in Sittwe were told by authorities to return home by May 12, said a senior monk from Amyotha monastery who accepted war refugees.

“We released all detained villagers apart from six villagers who confessed that they are members of the AA and two other suspected villagers who have been under interrogation, said Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun, secretary of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team.

The boy from Mee Yat Pyin village, identified as Maung Myo Naing, received severe injuries and died on the way to Kyauktaw hospital.

A member of the Border Guard Police attempted to rape a woman who was searching for her cow in a village in Northern Maungdaw on May 11, according to a relevant village administrator.

During the interrogation, six detained civilians died and eight others were injured after a clash on May 2. The eight injured received medical treatment at Sittwe hospital, and four of the detainees from 275 villagers went missing.

Civilian deaths in northern Arakan State have surged day by day due to explosions of landmines and artillery shells that were left unexploded during clashes near villages.

Three villages in Sittwe Township will have access to an electric power supply within the 2019-2020 fiscal year, said a member of parliament in Arakan State.

“The FDA released a list of foods that should not be consumed after they were tested. However, people had already eaten the tainted food. These spoiled food products are mostly found in some villages in remote area.

“In the summer, we face water shortages and we had to fetch water from other villages, this action wastes our time. We could not cook our food in a timely fashion,” said Daw Oo Than Hmone from Kyay Daw Pike Sate village.

Seven villagers died and eight others were injured in Kyauktan village due to gunfire while the Tatmadaw detained a total of 275 men for questioning, accusing them of having connections with the Arakan Army.

The Arakan State parliament endorsed the proposal urging the government to return bodies of people who died during interrogations to their family members after receiving unanimous support in the parliament.

There are 99 refugee camps with over 35,000 IDPs in Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Ponnagyun, Pauktaw, Minbya, Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U Townships, according to Rakhine Ethnic Congress (REC).