Elderly IDP woman killed in junta drone attack on Ponnagyun village
DMG Newsroom
11 September 2026, Ponnagyun
An elderly displaced woman was killed on September 11 when the military junta launched a drone strike on Kyaukseik Village in Ponnagyun Township, an area controlled by the Arakan Army, according to local sources.
At around 2:00 AM, military junta forces targeted Kyaukseik Village with a first-person-view (FPV) drone, killing 63-year-old Daw Hla Than Yi, an internally displaced person (IDP) originally from Thawinchaung Village in Werathani Township.
"The military regime launched a strike using a drone. The displaced woman was struck by drone shrapnel and died from her injuries," said a local man in Ponnagyun Township.
Daw Hla Than Yi suffered severe wounds to the left side of her chest during the attack, leading to her death, according to a statement released by the Phyu Sin Yin Khwin Foundation.
The foundation strongly condemned the attack, stating that the military regime continues to intentionally target civilians.
Clashes between the military junta and the Arakan Army remain intense along the Sittwe-Ponnagyun border as junta forces attempt to establish a stronghold in Ponnagyun Township from neighbouring Sittwe Township.
Military junta forces are increasingly deploying heavy artillery, drones, and jet fighters to bomb civilian settlement areas and religious structures unrelated to active military targets.
"The military regime is using all available forces in an attempt to capture Ponnagyun Township. As a result, the regime is likely to launch further bombing attacks on civilians. Local people need to take heightened safety precautions regarding air and drone hazards," said a social activist in Arakan State.
On September 7, a military junta airstrike targeted Phetkya Village in Ponnagyun Township, causing damage to local property.
Additionally, on the night of September 4, military junta forces conducted air and artillery strikes near Guwa Cave Pagoda in Ponnagyun Township, damaging several Buddha images.
Battles along the Sittwe-Ponnagyun border reignited on September 4 following the military junta's offensive and have remained intense for over a week, according to military sources.
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