Junta security forces’ search of Maungdaw Twsp village prompts locals to flee

By DMG 16 Sep 2022

DMG Newsroom
16 September 2022, Maungdaw 

Local residents of Aung Mingalar Village in northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, felt compelled to flee their homes after a large number of junta soldiers and border guard police searched their village on Friday afternoon. 

More than 200 security personnel arrived at the village around 2 p.m. on Friday, and interrogated three villagers, according to a local resident who wished to remain anonymous. 

“They entered our village from the west around 2 p.m. today, and carried out checks. They said they had come to search for five people on their list. We don’t know who they are or what the list is. Then, they questioned three young villagers and checked their phones,” said the resident. 

Some 150 villagers have since fled to neighbouring villages, said another resident. “Some remain in the village. Those who were interrogated have been released. They [junta personnel] are still in the village. We don’t know where they will be heading,” he said. 

Junta troops also briefly detained two Hindus from Aung Tharyar Village on Friday, said villagers. 

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Kyaw Thura. 

Combined contingents of junta soldiers and border guard police are increasing their collective presence in northern Maungdaw Township, according to local people. 

Earlier this week, Arakan Army spokesman U Khaing Thukha told DMG that the regime has carried out multiple, fierce attacks on AA positions in recent days as it attempts to retake junta outposts it lost to the ethnic armed group in northern Maungdaw Township and Chin State’s Paletwa Township. 

Military tensions are running high between Myanmar military and AA across Arakan State, and clashes have continued in Maungdaw and Paletwa since early August.