At least 12 civilians were killed in Myanmar when artillery shells landed in a busy market in western Rakhine State, as the ruling military and anti-junta forces traded blame for the latest violence to rock the Southeast Asian country.

The insurgent group Arakan Army (AA) operating in Rakhine State, which borders Bangladesh, said that a military warship off the port city of Sittwe fired shells into Myoma market on Thursday, killing 12 and injuring more than 80 people.

The junta published a statement on the state TV channel Myawaddy, claiming the shells were fired by the AA. It did not confirm the number of casualties.

Sittwe and other towns in Rakhine are facing information blackouts as the junta has reimposed internet and mobile data curbs in the state.

Cycle of violence

Myanmar has been locked in a cycle of violence since the military seized power from an elected government in a 2021 coup. The junta has since October been in the throes of the biggest challenge to its grip on power, after armed rebel groups launched coordinated attacks on military outposts in several states across the country.

In Rakhine, conflict between the AA and the junta has intensified, with fighting focused near the state capital Sittwe, a significant port and trading hub on the Bay of Bengal.

A spokesperson for the ethnic armed group said the AA has pushed out the junta's troops from at least five towns including Paletwa, a key trading post, and Ponnagyun, only 34 km (21 miles) from Sittwe.