The cities of Mrauk-U and Minpyar of Rakhine State were reportedly attacked by the junta airstrikes in the morning of February 5, according to local residents.
“It was dropped with both a jet fighter and helicopter at around 9:00 a.m. in the morning. The number of times is not less than 10 times. It mainly dropped bombs on the cities. In addition, the places where the Arakan Army troops are thought to be are scattered,” said a Minpyar resident.
It is not known which battalions bombarded the city and mountains with Mi 35 and Su-30 aircrafts, but it could be the Minpyar-based Battalions 379 and 541.
After the start of the 1027 operation in Rakhine state, the military junta launched airstrikes on the cities of Minpyar, Mrauk-U and Pauktaw, so the local residents have fled to safety, according to locals.
“The Arakan Army (AA) had captured Battalion-380, then I heard the remaining two Battalions would jointly fight back. Not long after hearing that, the city was bombed. I heard the houses were burnt, but I don’t know how much was burnt,” a Minpyar resident who fled to safety, said.
The Arakan Army (AA) started an offensive attack against the Light Infantry Battalions 379, 380 and 541 based in Minpyar town on 2023 November 13, then the Light Infantry Battalion- 380 was completely captured on 2024 January 28.
During the fighting in Rakhine State, those battalions have troubled the local people in various ways, and they have shot with heavy weapons, so there are the deaths of civilians, according to locals.
A resident of Mrauk-U says, “Mrauk-U was bombed in the morning. The junta bombarded the places where they thought the Arakan Army (AA) would be, but it was not inside the city.”
The junta’s plane dropped bombs on Minpyar town, then it could also launch airstrikes on Mrauk-U town, he added.
The military junta and the Arakan Army (AA) are fighting fiercely in Mrauk-U town, and the Arakan Army (AA) had reportedly seized the Light Infantry Battalion- 540 based in Mrauk-U.