Civilians caught in the crossfire amidst escalating conflict between Myanmar military and armed faction
Increasing violence between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) has engulfed several townships in western Myanmar, leaving innocent civilians trapped in the crossfire
Renewed conflicts between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group representing an ethnic minority, have extended to multiple townships in western Myanmar. The town of Pauktaw has become a battleground, endangering the lives of innocent civilians caught in the escalating violence. A former member of parliament from Pauktaw township, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, expressed concerns over the situation, stating that they have lost contact with locals and are unaware of the current circumstances.
"I departed from the town on the day when the conflict erupted. Unfortunately, there remain elderly individuals, sickly individuals, as well as families with young children who were unable to evacuate promptly," he expressed.
"The downpour intensifies and a violent storm is approaching as well. This is an utterly devastating scenario. Witnessing people endure such circumstances truly shatters me."
Clashes between the Arakan Army and the military started in Rathedaung township on November 13. Since then, the conflict has expanded to include the townships of Maungdaw, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, and Paletwa. This information was provided in a statement by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on Friday. As a result of the ongoing fighting, over 26,000 individuals have been displaced in Myanmar's western Rakhine state since Monday, according to UNOCHA.
According to the UN, the two parties had previously agreed on an informal ceasefire in November 2022. However, fighting resumed after the Arakan Army allegedly attacked two border posts.
In a statement published on Friday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported that the recent data revealed an increase in the total number of internally displaced people as a result of the conflict between the two sides, reaching approximately 90,000. The statement also mentioned reports of military shelling in areas controlled by the Arakan Army.
The military in Myanmar, with the support of air and naval forces, had carried out at least one operation, according to UNOCHA.
Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for the Myanmar military, stated in a briefing on Friday that the military and police force had successfully regained control of the Pauktaw police station. He also mentioned that the town was already under the military's control.
Humanitarian operations have been halted because of the reemergence of the conflict in Rakhine, with OCHA reporting that almost all routes connecting townships are currently impassable. The ongoing clashes between the military and resistance factions in Myanmar, which began after army general Min Aung Hlaing took control in February 2021, have led to economic turmoil and a renewed state of civil war.
Airstrikes and ground attacks on targets labeled as "terrorist" by the Myanmar military have been taking place regularly since 2021, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians, including children, according to monitoring groups.
A fire can be seen burning in the predominantly ethnic Rakhine village of Let Kar in western Myanmar's Mrauk-U township, as depicted in this photo released by the Myanmar Army on May 16, 2020. The Rakhine region has been a site of intense armed conflict between the government and the Arakan Army, a guerrilla group comprised of the Rakhine ethnic minority, since January of the previous year. The Arakan Army aims to attain increased autonomy for the state. (Image credit: Myanmar Army via AP)
Renewed fighting in Myanmar has displaced 26,000 people since Monday, UN says
Whole villages have been burned down by junta soldiers and schools, clinics and hospitals destroyed.
The man from Pauktow, whose father was killed in the recent hostilities, informed CNN that his father had been struck by artillery fragments at a meditation center. The man revealed that Myanmar's State Administration Council soldiers had relentlessly shot at his father, causing immense pain and suffering. Distraught, he shared that his father passed away during the night, leaving him haunted by the image of his father in a pool of blood.
A familys plight
Abbot monk U Nan Diya informed CNN that he had been providing aid to three individuals from the villages of Chaung Suak. These include a father suffering from heart disease, who was accompanied by his daughter and son-in-law.
The family found themselves trapped in a house in Pauktaw, even though they had arrived at the hospital two days prior to the resumption of conflict, as the town had transformed into a battleground, according to U Nan Diya.
Furthermore, U Nan Diya mentioned that the daughter of the sick man had made an effort to locate a boat to go back to their village but was apprehended by soldiers on Friday.
According to U Nan Diya, a 60-year-old man suffering from heart disease is deteriorating without medication. He mentioned that the man's family desires to have him at their own house rather than watching him pass away in an unfamiliar place. However, due to the military navy stationed in the sea, shooting at anyone they encounter, nobody can risk going out or using the water route. Therefore, the sick man is unable to find solace in a peaceful death.
