At least sixty people, including children and women are feared dead as Tatmadaw fired on entire village tracts with rockets, with the death toll likely to rise.
In the early morning hours of Sunday, Tatmadaw surrounded the village tracts of Sau Raw Gazi Bil and Bor Gazi Bil. At around 6.30am, they started firing from rocket launchers targeting the houses of Rohingya Muslims in the area. When the occupants of the village started fleeing, they continued firing from rockets and heavy machine guns, mowing down civilians indiscriminately.
Multiple members of the same family have been confirmed dead in the ongoing assault.
In some cases, when rockets missed a house, the Tatmadaw followed up with similar shots ensuring anything they targeted was hit. Multiple eyewitness told our correspondent that men, women and children fell as they ran from the hail of rocket fire. Many others had perished inside their houses.
Neighbours of a deceased man told our correspondent that one Shah Alam (s/o Syed Ahmed) was killed inside his house along with his wife and son when it was hit with a rocket. Four members died from the family of Abdu Shukur (s/o Abu Hossain) when they had run out of their houses and tried to escape along with other villagers, say his neighbours.
Many were also killed when military gunboats fired on fleeing civilians as they were trying to escape Sau Raw Gazi Bil.
The situation remains tense as helicopters circling overhead amid a huge Tatmadaw presence with heavy machine guns and rocket launchers.
Attacks have also continued in Sa Li Frang where earlier on Saturday, the Tatmadaw admitted to using helicopter gunships. We are unable at this moment to gather details on the situation in Sa Li Frang on Sunday. However, the earlier reported death toll of 12 killed from air strikes has increased. There are also reports that rockets have been fired into the area at around 10 am.
Fleeing villagers forced to return home before being killed, at least 22 died in overnight attack
Villagers from Sau Raw Gazi Bil say although they had escaped to the surrounding paddy villages the previous night, they were forced to return after soldiers opened fire on them there, killing at least 22 people. Following the incident, many Rohingyas returned home as the Tatmadaw had warned anyone found outside will be killed.
During the night raid, many Rohingyas tried to escape by jumping into the water but Tatmadaw made sure they were hit with gunfire. The actual death toll might be higher as many of the corpses could not be pulled out of the water.
Video clips from the site showed crying Rohingya mothers standing over the bodies of little children killed by the army.
However, the overnight warning was just a ploy by the Tatmadaw to gather civilians in their village tracts before levelling the area with rockets.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, the Tatmadaw had fired from helicopters forcing villagers to leave their homes.
Two babies thrown into fire in Ra Bai La
Tatmadaw soldiers charged into Ra Bai La where they fell upon villagers who did not manage to flee the area. Arifa Begum (d/o Oli Hossain) told our sources her baby was thrown into the fire, as her house was burned. Our correspondent says at least one more infant child was thrown into the fire after being grabbed from the mother.
One source said a third child might also have been thrown into the fire.
Tatmadaw set fire on houses and looted valuables during the raid. The entire village tract is on the run. The southern areas of the village have been entirely destroyed in the fire.
Zun Bai Na razed to the ground
A huge part of Zun Bai Na has been destroyed after Tatmadaw hit Rohingya houses with rockets. The village tract has only a few hundred Rohingyas left, but Tatmadaw fired with rockets indiscriminately destroying around 25 houses in the area. Multiple casualties are feared.
Wabeik hit with rockets
Multiple casualties are feared in Wabeik after Tatmadaw fired on the restive neighbourhood in Kawa Bil on Sunday morning. Previous raids in the area have killed many civilians with Hlun Htein forcing thousands to evacuate the area.
Imminent crackdown in Bali Bazar
Soldiers intensified their presence in Bali Bazar from Sunday afternoon and began firing into the air. At around 2.30 pm, helicopters appeared in the air. Terror has pervaded the area as locals fear the army is preparing to attack the village.
Women sexually assaulted in Hainda para
Tatmadaw sexually assaulted Rohingya women after entering the restive village tract on Sunday by touching their private parts and passing lewd comments. The area has remained restive since army killed many people during the first week of the ongoing crackdown.
There are also reports of an army attack in Hayong Hali and Kuwa Bil.
Source: myanmarobserver
