Fear of junta airstrikes drives further migration from Arakan State

By Admin 28 Aug 2025

DMG Newsroom

28 August 2025, Kyauktaw

Some residents of Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U townships in Arakan State are fleeing their homes and migrating to India due to the threat of airstrikes by Myanmar's military regime.

The regime has been frequently bombing townships in Arakan State controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), resulting in increasing injuries and deaths among local residents.

Some who are afraid to stay in Arakan State due to the regime's airstrikes have reportedly moved to India and settled there.

"If we stay here, we can't be sure about the risk of airstrikes from the military regime. We will face the risk of airstrikes from the military regime one day or another. This move is also for the education of our children," said a Kyauktaw resident who moved to Mizoram, India.

The military regime has been targeting towns and villages with airstrikes and artillery fire at random, prompting local residents to move to safer places.

Some of the residents began migrating earlier this year and are now living and working in the Indian state of Mizoram. Locals say they cannot be sure of the exact number of people who have migrated.

"We didn't sell our houses; we just closed them and moved the whole family to India. It's convenient for our children to go to school. It's convenient for us to earn a living," said a local woman from Kyauktaw.

The migrants are said to be working in Mizoram state in businesses such as money transfer, selling consumer goods, and running pharmacies and grocery stores.

Since November 2023, the military regime has blocked land and sea routes to Arakan State, leaving local people in Arakan State without access to healthcare and education, driving earlier and ongoing displacement.

Young Arakanese people are also migrating to mainland Myanmar due to the lack of job opportunities in Arakan State.

"There is currently no guarantee of employment or education for young people in Arakan State. That is why locals are leaving their homes," said a young Arakanese man.

The Arakan Army (AA) controls 14 of 17 townships in Arakan State, and plays a role in the administrative, judicial, regional development, and education sectors.

As the ethnic armed group seeks to administer and rebuild a war-torn region, there are fears that it is losing the battle against so-called "brain drain".

"Local people are no longer guaranteed security and are migrating to safer places due to the threat of airstrikes by the military regime. On the other hand, I see that as more people migrate, the human resources in Arakan State will become less," said a young Arakanese man who has traveled to mainland Myanmar.