Muslim armed groups pose threat to locals in Maungdaw District

By Admin 23 Oct 2024

DMG Newsroom
23 October 2024, Maungdaw

The Arakkha Army (AA) controls Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships except for the Myanmar military's Border Guard Police Battalion No. 5, but residents are worried about their safety due to arrests and threats by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) and Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA).

Residents say they are taking special care as Muslim armed groups are still active in Buthidaung, Maungdaw and the Mayu mountain range.

"Muslim armed groups have gained a foothold in northern Maungdaw and the Mayu mountain range. Muslim armed groups continue to ambush pedestrians and travellers, and arrest and kill local farmers. Therefore, the safety of the people cannot be assured," said an internally displaced person (IDP) in Maungdaw Township.

At least 16 civilians were killed and 10 others were injured in ARSA ambushes in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships from July to October.

The AA said a statement on October 22 that ARSA, RSO, ARA and military-trained Muslim militiamen have built hideouts in some places that are still inaccessible to the ethnic armed group in Maungdaw District and in the densely forested mountains, and are continuously arresting, killing, kidnapping and extorting people.

"The ARSA members hide in the Mayu mountain range. Taking advantage of the fact that AA was attacking the military in Maungdaw, ARSA started killing villagers who went to hunt for food in the mountains. Now the local people are afraid to even go into the forest," said a resident in Buthidaung.

Clashes between ARSA and the AA are ongoing in Maungdaw District, and the AA has announced that the ethnic armed group has captured four ARSA military bases.

The AA clashed with ARSA members near Kharuchaung Village in Buthidaung Township at around 12 noon on October 19. The AA clashed with ARSA near the village five times, seizing weapons and military equipment provided by the military regime, the ethnic armed group said in the statement.

Fleeing ARSA members were hunted down by the AA and a clash between the AA and ARSA broke out near Gyintaw camp in Maungdaw Township, the statement added.

The danger posed by Muslim armed groups is of great concern not only within Arakan State, but also for civilians living along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, the statement reads.

"These events have become a new challenge, challenging regional peace, stability and public security," the AA statement said.

The AA seized control of Buthidaung on May 18 and has continued an offensive against Border Guard Police Battalion No. 5 in Maungdaw.