Road blockades pin down Thandwe residents as fighting nears

By Admin 10 Jun 2024

DMG Newsroom
10 June 2024, Thandwe

Local people in Thandwe, Arakan State, are facing difficulties fleeing to safer locations due to junta blockades as fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakkha Army (AA) in Thandwe Township moves closer to the town.

The regime has closed Thandwe Airport for one week, since June 3, due to fierce fighting in the township. Many locals are trapped in downtown Thandwe due to the junta’s road blockades.

“There is no escape route for local people and we are trapped by the fighting. We are worried about our safety because the military-AA clashes are getting closer to Thandwe,” said a local resident.

The junta has imposed strict travel restrictions on civil servants in Thandwe Township, with government employees reportedly allowed to travel only with the permission of their superiors, according to locals.

Locals in Thandwe are facing food security issues due to shortages of goods and medicine, and rising commodity prices.

“Locals in Thandwe will face livelihood difficulties in the long run due to shortages of goods. The grassroots will suffer more hardships,” said a local woman in Thandwe.

Fighting between the military and AA has been raging in Thandwe Township since April 13, with most residents fleeing to Yangon and other locations deemed safer. Half of the town’s population are trapped due to various reasons, financial constraints being a common one.