Myanmar junta bombs Rakhine’s Pauktaw township amid escalating clashes with Arakan Army

The Myanmar junta launched an airstrike on Pauktaw Township, located across the river from Sittwe in Rakhine State, dropping no fewer than 50 bombs from jet fighters in the afternoon of 20 February.

Villages including Thekhongyun, Chaungwa, Sintet Maw, Taung Chaung, Manyin Kyine, and Anauk Yae were hit, resulting in injuries to at least 10 people, according to Arakan Princess Media (APM) and local sources.

“A few days ago, they also bombed around Thekhongyun. The military assumed the Arakan Army (AA) was firing artillery from that side, so they launched airstrikes,” said a resident from Sittwe’s port area.

The junta had previously bombed Thekhongyun village on the night of 17 February, using multiple explosives, according to local sources.