A junta soldier wounded in a regime airstrike while being held by the Arakan Army. / AA
At least two Myanmar junta soldiers being held prisoner by the Arakan Army (AA) were reportedly killed in northern Rakhine state last week, while a number of others were injured, when regime jets bombed prison cells holding Myanmar military detainees, according to the AA.
On September 23 three junta jets carried out a 30 minute airstrike on a mountaintop in Maungdaw Township, hitting two prison cells where captured regime soldiers and police were being detained by the ethnic Rakhine armed organization.
Two junta troops died of injuries received in the airstrike. The AA said that some of those seriously injured have little hope of surviving, despite being treated by the AA.
Although the AA told the military to come and collect the wounded detainees for proper medical treatment, the junta did not respond.
In a video released by the AA, a sergeant wounded in the airstrike who has been in the Myanmar military for over 20 years said he felt abandoned despite his loyal service.
“They [the military] don’t even look at the situation we are in. I am sad,” said the sergeant, who was named as Aung Aung.
Over 150 regime forces, including prisoners and those who defected or surrendered, have been detained by the AA. Some of them have since been allowed to leave for undisclosed locations.
Military regime personnel who no longer want to serve the junta have also been invited to join the AA.
After an informal ceasefire in Rakhine State broke down last November, the AA and Myanmar military have been clashing in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, Minbya and Mrauk-U townships in Rakhine, as well as in neighboring Paletwa Township in Chin State.
Junta forces have reportedly lost more than 36 bases and outposts and suffered heavy casualties in the fighting.
