NN Online:
The situation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State is becoming increasingly tense again as armed clashes and exchanges of gunfire are taking place between the Arakan Army and other armed groups.
Arakan Army currently controls parts of Rakhine.
With the fresh round of fighting, Rohingyas in those areas are suffering casualties. Many are attempting to cross the Naf river by boat into Bangladesh.
Multiple sources along the border said that heavy gunfire broke out in several villages across the Naf river opposite of Teknaf’s Whykong border around 10:00pm on Friday.
The intermittent shooting continued until 5:00am on Saturday. Residents on the Bangladeshi side could hear the gunfire across the river.
Earlier, on 19 August night, a five-hour-long gun battle took place between armed groups in the “Narkel Bagan” area of Rakhine State across the Ghumdhum border in Naikhongchhari upazila.
Reportedly, other groups launched the assault in an attempt to capture two border outposts held by the Arakan Army. Ten days before that, there had been another clash in the same area.
According to multiple border sources, armed groups such as the Arakan Salvation Army (ARSA), Arakan Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (ARSO), and Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA), among others, have been launching fresh attacks on Arakan Army positions for quite some time now.
As a result, many Rohingyas are being displaced and trying to flee to Bangladesh. It is reported that several thousand Rohingyas are currently gathered near the Naf River by Maungdaw township. Some are being caught by the BGB as they attempt to cross the river into Teknaf.
Just yesterday (Friday), Teknaf BGB intercepted 62 Rohingyas in the Naf river. Confirming this, Lieutenant Colonel Ashiqur Rahman, commander of the Teknaf-2 BGB Battalion, told that reports suggest thousands of Rohingyas across the river are waiting to enter Bangladesh. To prevent infiltration, the BGB is active along both the river and the land border.
“Some people are trying to cross the border, but we are not allowing anyone in. Along with increasing patrols at the crossing points, surveillance has been tightened,” the BGB commander added.
