A series of explosions that apparently targeted a military helicopter is believed to have killed a number of junta soldiers in the northern Rakhine State town of Myebon.
Sources said that multiple blasts were heard at around 11am on Wednesday as the helicopter approached a Ministry of Border Affairs office in the town.
The attack, which is believed to have been carried out by the Arakan Army (AA), did not hit the helicopter, but may have killed several soldiers who were on duty on the ground at the time, one local man said.
“I think they were providing security for the helicopter that was about to arrive. The AA attacked them with explosives. The helicopter didn’t land until after the explosions stopped,” said the man, who did not want to be identified.
A number of Myebon residents said that troops stationed in the hills west of the town fired several rounds of artillery after the attack.
“We heard a loud bang. We were so scared that we couldn’t leave the house,” said one local youth.
According to another man who spoke on condition of anonymity, the military was also conducting searches and preventing locals from leaving the town.
“The situation has calmed down now, but schools and shops are still closed and there are soldiers stationed on all of the roads leading out of the town,” he said, speaking to Myanmar Now late Wednesday.
He added that he could not confirm rumours that several regime soldiers had been killed by the blasts.
“I heard that around six were killed, but I don’t know anything for sure,” he said.
In April, the AA reportedly clashed with junta troops stationed near Wet Gaung, a village about 10km west of Myebon.
The two sides entered a ceasefire in November 2020 after two years of fierce fighting, but resumed hostilities early this year.
In recent weeks, clashes have been reported in several townships in northern Rakhine State, including Maungdaw, Rathedaung, and Mrauk-U, as well as in Paletwa Township in southern Chin State.
