There was fighting between junta troops and the Arakan Army (AA) after the AA attacked a junta boat in Minbya Township in Rakhine State at about 10:30 a.m. on 26 September.

A local resident who spoke to Mizzima said that the AA opened fire on two junta military vessels traveling from Sittwe to Minbya near to Khaung Laung Chaung Village in Minbya Township.

Locals said that after the AA opened fire the junta army fired at least 20 artillery rounds in the direction of nearby villages and launched two helicopter airstrikes.

One round fired by a junta vessel landed in a monastery in Khaung Laung Chaung Village and injured three villagers sheltering there, one of whom was a child.

“The shooting lasted about half an hour. Two young people, a brother and a sister, and a child who were sheltering in the monastery were hit and injured”, said a Khaung Laung Chaung villager who wanted to remain anonymous.

According to locals the junta troops fired from their boats and helicopters in the vicinity of Khaung Laung Chaung village for about 30 minutes before moving on to Minbya Township.