By Ahtaram Shin
Since the last May, the AA and the Junta have frequently clashed in Maungdaw after the AA took control of Buthidaung in the end of April. On June 16th, the AA issued a warning for people to leave Maungdaw downtown and they intense the fighting on the first day of Eid al-Adha in June 18th. In Maungdaw, 90 percent of the population is Rohingya Muslim, and they have no way to flee or leave the town. Since the first of Eid Al Adha (18th June), there is intense fighting between the AA and the Junta has resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Both the AA and the Junta took positions in Rohingya villages, driving people into the fields and near the streams. Many people report that they have left their homes and are staying in the fields and near the stream in the wet grounds in this rainy season.
Hasina, a pseudonym for a Rohingya woman, said, “After a warning was issued, we didn’t leave our house because it burns and we are never allowed to return. Now, we had to leave our homes due to heavy weapon fire and drone attacks in the village from both sides (AA and Junta). We have taken shelter in the ACF and MSF offices.
Abu Raihan reported, “After we took shelter in NGO facilities, the Junta and AA completely destroyed the wire house office of MSF with drone attacks, which is located at Sitilya, Shidda Fara. A big rocket hit Shidda Fara in Ismail’s house, killing two girls. This is nearly 100 meters from the ACF office, in front of Maungdaw High School.
Now, people are running around the villages with no way to leave because the AA and Junta surround Maungdaw downtown from all directions.
Md Khubaib, an 11-year-old from Keyari Parang, Maungdaw, who stayed in Shidda Fara with his aunt, died in a rocket attack by the AA and Junta. When the AA is attacking Junta intensively in Shidda Fara from Hadirbil, Rohingya people run wherever they could find a way.
“My cousin hid in a nearby house where the AA shot a rocket. My cousin died instantly, and the family in that house was also injured,” said Ro Anas.
On June 19th, Shobbir’s son was hit by a bullet in the cheek and still hasn’t received any treatment, any similar the wounded cannot receive treatment reported Abu Raihan.
In two days, there are a dozen people have died and hundreds are injured in Shidda fara. Now, on the evening of June 20th, the AA is attacked by drones and shooting rockets at Shidda Fara and other areas of Maungdaw downtown from Nyaung Chaung and Pan Daw Pyin.
As AA rebels took positions in Nolboinna (Pan Daw Pyin), the Junta has been hitting the village with drones and rockets around the three main routes since June 18th.
On the evening of June 20th, an elderly man named Md Younus died in a rocket attack in Pan Daw Pyin. In the same village, Abdu Rohim and his two sons were injured yesterday, and one of his sons died today. Abdu Rohim and his surviving son are in serious condition and are trying to reach Bangladesh for treatment. Seraaz, another young man in that village, was also died. In total, 28 people have been wounded and dozens people died in Pan Daw Pyin as well.
Now, people are fleeing to Du Nyaung Pin Gyi from Nyaung Chaung and Pan Daw Pyin, with AA forces also running alongside them. Today (On June 21st), the Junta conducted airstrikes with jet planes. “We would have been safe if the AA forces hadn’t taken positions in our village and ran after the public,” said Abu Raihan.
In Maung Ni village, the junta has taken position, and the Arakan Army (AA) is attacking them with drones from Pan Daw Pyin. Anam Ullah reported that on June 20th, Ali Huson, 35, and Nuro Jahan, 40, from Maung Ni village in Maungdaw downtown, were killed in a rocket and drone attack by the AA. Additionally, in another family, an elderly man died and two children were injured in the same village.
This is an urgent alert that the AA forces are intensifying their operations in Maungdaw, Arakan state. The AA has intentionally taken positions in Rohingya villages, and similarly, the Junta has also positioned itself in Rohingya areas. Although there are many Rakhine villages, neither side has taken positions there. Surprisingly, there are no reports of AA or junta casualties in this battle.
However, numerous reports indicate that the Rohingya people of Maungdaw are dying in large numbers and are at significant risk as the fighting becomes increasingly severe. The Rohingya community is urgently seeking support from the international community to halt these violent conflicts and prevent the deliberate annihilation of the Rohingya people from the land of Arakan.
