Myanmar Military's Assault Claims Innocent Lives in Rohingya Community

Tragically, a family of six, including three children, lost their lives in the attack. Only one survivor managed to escape but sustained severe injuries as their home was engulfed in flames.

Staff Reporter

Dec 31, 2023, 06:22 AM2 min read

Myanmar Military's Assault Claims Innocent Lives in Rohingya Community

Houses and refugee shelters burned by Myanmar junta troops in Nattalin, Bago region/Collected

The Myanmar military, facing substantial setbacks in its conflict against the Arakan Army (AA), conducted a severe assault on Zedi Taung village in Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State, on December 28.

Tragically, a family of six, including three children, lost their lives in the attack. Only one survivor managed to escape but sustained severe injuries as their home was engulfed in flames.

Simultaneously, in Mrauk-U, the military targeted three Rohingya villages—Kaing Taw, Bu Talone, and Paung Tote—utilizing artillery fire and conducting airstrikes. This offensive resulted in the deaths of four Rohingya villagers, including two men and two women, and left 16 others injured.

Since November 2023, the escalating conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army has had devastating consequences for the Rohingya community, consistently caught in the crossfire. Attacks in proximity to or originating from their villages have resulted in the loss of at least 18 Rohingya lives across Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Minbya, and Mrauk-U Townships.

Despite facing displacement due to intensifying conflicts, the Rohingya encounter formidable challenges in establishing safe camps, as they are denied the rights granted to other ethnic minorities.

The ethnic rebel groups forming the Brotherhood Alliance, including the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Arakan Army (AA), have accused the Myanmar junta of committing war crimes.

In the ongoing conflict in northern Shan and Rakhine states, the Alliance alleges that the junta is deliberately intensifying bombings and shelling of civilian targets.

The Brotherhood Alliance’s Operation 1027, a large-scale coordinated offensive, contends that the junta is targeting civilian areas, historic sites, and villages while struggling to defend its bases.

The military has increased civilian inspections, imposing a blockade on major routes inside Rakhine State and connections to other states and regions for over a month. This blockade has resulted in severe shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and other necessities for civilians throughout the state.