SITTWE – A civilian appears to have been shot dead by Myanmar troops in Kyauktaw Township’s Kar Di Village on Wednesday morning.
U Soe Naing, 40, of Ah Pauk Wa Village in the township was riding his motorbike to Kyauktaw bus station, according to villagers.
U Kyaw Hla Phyu from Kar Di told The Irrawaddy, “U Soe Naing was on his way to work in Kyauktaw. We don’t know why he was shot. His body is still next to the [Yangon-Sittwe highway].”
The villagers said the body could not be moved as the military’s Division 22 was deployed in the area.
His widow, Daw Nyo Nyo Saw, said her husband left home at 5:10 a.m. to work as a goods carrier at Laywadi bus station in Kyauktaw. “I don’t know how it happened as I haven’t seen his body yet,” she said.
The area has been under 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew since April in response to the intensifying conflict between the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army.
Colonel Win Zaw Oo, a spokesman for the Myanmar military’s Western Command, told The Irrawaddy: “That area is under curfew and the military is patrolling. The villagers need to comply with the orders. If we ask them to stop for a search, they must stop. I can’t understand why they don’t stop when they are told.”
On Tuesday, five Mee Wa villagers in the township were injured by artillery fire from the navy on the Kaladan River. They are being treated at Kyauktaw and Sittwe General hospitals.
U Tun Thar Sein, a Rakhine State parliamentarian from Mrauk-U, raised a motion to inquire about the number of civilian deaths and injuries from artillery and rifle fire in the current fighting.
In his proposal, he said there had been 80 civilian deaths and 120 injuries.
