The Arakan Army (AA) reportedly ambushed a truck traveling in an area under the control of the Myanmar military’s Western Command in southern Arakan State’s Ann Township on Thursday.
The truck bound for Ann from Maei town was attacked with a remotely detonated landmine at a location between Myayni and Talaitaung villages at around 3 p.m. on September 1.
“The vehicle is not an army truck. The truck carrying junta soldiers was attacked with a remote-controlled mine by AA fighters on its way to Ann from Maei town,” said a resident of Talaitaung village, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the matter’s sensitivity.
So far, no one has come to pick up the explosion-rocked vehicle, and nothing strange was found inside the truck, according to a community elder from Talaitaung village.
“I found nothing inside the truck. No one has come to bring the truck. I, together with village officials, went to the scene of the landmine attack this morning. It is not yet known if anyone waskilled in the attack. The military officials have yet to come to the scene of the landmine attack,”
the community elder added.
DMG attempted to contact Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the regime, for comment on the alleged landmine attack, but he could not be reached.
Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army reached an informal ceasefire agreement ahead of the country’s November 2020 general election, after some two years of often-intense fighting in Arakan State. But the peace pact has appeared on the verge of total collapse for weeks amid months of escalating military tensions and a series of clashes between the two sides across
multiple Arakan State townships, and in Paletwa Township.