Military council bombs civilian areas in Maei town controlled by AA with two fighter jets

Photo caption: Locals view the site where bombs landed and exploded in Maei town, a sub-township of Taungup Township, Rakhine State (CJ) The military council launched an indiscriminate bombing on civilian areas in Maei town, a sub-township of Taungup Township in Rakhine State, which is under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), with two fighter jets around 12:00 PM on July 19th, according to local residents. "Fighter jets dropped three bombs just now. We heard there are casualties. We are still trying to get the exact count. It's a crowded area, and there's a clinic nearby. It fell within Maei town. It fell near the fire station," a local resident told Mizzima. Although there were no direct clashes in the town, on the evening of July 14th, the military council's troops had previously carried out an airstrike on the Min Chaung Bridge, located on the Maei-Taungup highway connecting to Kyaukphyu Township. The Min Chaung Bridge, which was hit by the airstrike, was under repair, and the bridge deck sections under construction were damaged. Local military sources assess that the military council's troops may be conducting airstrikes from the air in an attempt to control the Taungup-Maei road section, which is strategically important militarily. "They are trying to control the Taungup-Maei and Ann road sections. That's because they bombed the bridge on the Kyaukphyu-Rangoon-Taungup road section the other day (July 14th). The AA is gaining the upper hand at the Toung Mo Gyi naval base in Kyaukphyu, where fighting is intense. Because of that, they will be putting pressure on the Taungup side these days," the source told Mizzima. Maei town in Taungup Township experienced severe flooding last week, and Gwye Township has also been subjected to bombings. The military council's troops had already bombed the towns of Taungup and Maei, which were fully controlled by the Arakan Army (AA) by the end of November 2024, at least twice in 2025. Currently, out of the 15 towns controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), most of the towns are frequently targeted by airstrikes from the military council's troops. Editor – Thant Zaw (Thanlyin)