Burma Army Attacks Injure Villagers and Force Others to Flee Home

19 February 2020

Chin State

 

In Chin State, fighting between the Arakan Army and Burma Army continues to disrupt and endanger civilian lives. On Feb. 17, villagers from Miletwah Village fled to Paletwah Town, Paletwah Township, because Burma Army artillery was fired around their village. The Arakan Army had been moving around the village at the time.

The Burma Army warned the villagers to leave their homes. However, the Burma Army did not wait for villagers to leave before firing. The artillery fell close to villagers and the places where villagers shower.

On Feb. 16, shrapnel from artillery fired by Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 289 hit a 48-year-old Miletwah villager on his right shoulder. While the injury was not serious, the villager was taken to a local hospital for treatment. A 65-year-old woman was also injured in the same strike around noon that day when artillery struck near their homes in Miletwah Village. Then, around 9 p.m. on Feb. 18, LIB 289 again fired artillery, hitting a 12-year-old boy in the head.

Miletwah Village is located on the east bank of the Kaladan River and Paletwah Town is on the west bank. Because of the fighting, supply routes are blocked so many villagers are facing food and supply shortages.

Correction: The original report listed four people injured but has since been updated to reflect three villagers who were injured by Burma Army artillery fire.