Two civilians – an elderly man and a small child – were injured in Chin State’s Paletwa Township yesterday in the latest clashes between Burmese government forces and the Arakan Army (AA).
The two victims were hit by shrapnel when troops from Burma’s government army, the Tatmadaw, opened fire on Mawng-Nama village in Nga-dak village-tract after coming under attack from the AA as they approached the village by boat on the Kaladan River at around 8:30am on Sunday.
According to Mawng-Nama village resident Ba Win, his father Rang Doe, 68, and a seven-year-old child suffered injuries when the Tatmadaw fired on the village with heavy artillery.
“There were no AA forces in our village. They were deployed around the village, but we didn’t know about it,” Ba Win told Khonumthung News.
“As the Tatmadaw troops were taking up position on the riverbank near our village, the AA forces attacked them. When the Burma army returned fire, the AA fled into the village, which then came under attack,” he said.
Mawng-Nama is located about 10 miles from the town of Paletwa.
Rang Doe was taken to the hospital in Paletwa after he was hit in the knee with a piece of shrapnel. The child, who received minor injuries to his face, was treated in Kyae Thi village.
The clashes lasted until around 11am, then resumed at 12:30 and continued until 6pm. A motorboat used by the Burma army sank in the Kaladan River as a result of damage caused by the fighting, local sources reported.
Khonumthung News was not able to confirm reports of casualties on either side of the conflict.
There are 150 people and 31 residences in Mawng-Nama village. Currently, all residents are taking refuge in Bay-Chaungwa village and Paletwa town.
Tatmadaw and AA forces also clashed in the area today.
According to the Paletwa Social Volunteer Team, the Burma army fired on the AA three or four times with heavy artillery.
Fighting between the two sides has displaced more than 2,600 civilians living in Paletwa Township, according to relief workers.