Shrapnel from a shell explosion killed three villagers and injured several others in western Myanmar on Tuesday night, residents told Radio Free Asia. Four children were among the eight injured in Rakhine state as attacks escalate.
No fighting preceded the attack, locals said. Junta troops began shooting into Minbya township’s Sin Gyi Pyin village late on Tuesday night and the artillery hit two houses. The explosions burned down nearby houses, said a resident who did not want to be named for security reasons.
“They died due to the heavy artillery. Two young men died on the spot. Another woman died around 12 am. The artillery dropped when they were sleeping,” he said.
“Two houses hit by the artillery were also burned. There was no fight. It was just shooting for no reason. They have been shooting like this for two nights.”
The attack killed Saw Muda, a woman in her 50s, as well as Mar Mauk Arlarm and Swe Yauk Huson, both in their 20s. The victims are all from Sin Gyi Pyin village.
Locals claimed that the heavy artillery was fired by the junta’s Infantry Battalion-380 based in Minbya, but RFA could not independently confirm this.
The injured villagers have been sent to Minbya Hospital, and families of the deceased are preparing to have their bodies cremated in the village.
Those hurt in the attack are from three Minbya neighborhoods but the total number of injured people is not yet known.
RFA called Rakhine’s junta spokesperson Hla Thein for comment on the attacks, but he did not answer the phone.
Fighting in Rakhine state resumed on Monday after a year-long ceasefire. Five civilians died on the first day and 18 were injured by heavy artillery explosions and rounds of gunfire by junta troops.
The dead are from Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Maungdaw, Rathedaung and Minbya townships. Fighting in other parts of Rakhine state killed two more civilians from Ann township on Tuesday night when junta troops fired into Thea Kan Htaung village.
Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.