Meat vendor survives ARSA encounter in Maungdaw but motorbike set ablaze

By Kyaw Myo Aung 09 Dec 2020

Kyaw Myo Aung | DMG
9 December 2020, Maungdaw 

A vendor headed to sell pork at Wai Lar Taung village in northern Arakan State’s Maungdaw Township came across members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on December 9 and his motorbike was torched, according to U Kyaw Maung Thein, the administrator of neighbouring Khamaungseik village. 

Mg San Thein, a resident of Mingala Nyunt village, encountered ARSA on a road near Khamaungseik village about 1 mile from the Aungzu Border Guard outpost on the way to Wai Lar Taung village on Wednesday morning. 

“I heard the sound of a gunshot and about 20 people in uniform and with guns ran at me from a hill. So, I left my motorbike and fled to Khamaungseik village from a byway,” Mg San Thein said.    

On March 30, residents of Mingala Nyunt village who were travelling by motorbike to go animal trapping in a nearby forest met with ARSA members in the same area where Mg San Thein encountered the group, according to state media. Two villagers were reportedly killed and three others were injured in an attack in which four motorbikes were also set on fire.       

And on April 15, four policemen from the Aungzu Border Guard Force were reportedly attacked by ARSA at the same location while they were en route to Khamaungseik village on two motorbikes, killing two of the BGF members.