Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
The Arakan Army (separatist) announced the complete closure of the border between Arakan State in western Myanmar and Bangladesh, reinforcing its military presence in northern Maungdaw by deploying additional troops, heavy weapons, ammunition, and drones.
A correspondent for “Arakan News Agency”, citing local sources, reported that the Arakan Army held a meeting on June 30 at the “Na Kha Kha (10)” base near the Hlafukhawn Rescue Camp, which included officials from the villages of “Mingala Ji”, “Kyauklaykar”, “Pinfiw”, “Punzhar”, “Halapauzar”, “Tharya Taok”, and “Shwezar”.
The commander of the Arakan Army battalion emphasized that the border has become completely closed, warning that any attempt to enter from the Bangladeshi side will be met with direct gunfire and threatening to take strict actions against any village official who is found to have Bangladeshi refugees in their area.
He confirmed, on the other hand, that only departures from Arakan to Bangladesh will be allowed, at a rate ranging from 500 to 1,000 people per day, without allowing anyone to enter from Bangladesh to Maungdaw.
As a result of this decision, many of the Rohingya who had previously received permits from the Arakan Army to travel to Bangladesh for medical treatment are stuck at the border after paying amounts ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 Myanmar kyats, according to the patients’ relatives.
This coincides with the Arakan Army sending significant military reinforcements to northern Maungdaw, as it moved more than half of its forces from its current bases to border areas and sent additional reinforcements from the southern part of Maungdaw and Buthidaung using dozens of military vehicles.
Local residents pointed out that the current military movements of the Arakan Army are notably different from before, reflecting a potential escalation in security in the area.
Since the Arakan Army took control of Maungdaw City on December 8, it has continued its violations against the Rohingya, including closing their homes after malicious complaints, seizing them, and confiscating their valuable assets, and displacing many families.
The Arakan Army imposed strict restrictions on the Rohingya, preventing their movement between villages by restricting it through a network of security checkpoints at the entrances and exits of each Rohingya village, and imposing fees on pedestrians and motorcycle owners from the Rohingya community for crossing bridges.
In November 2023, the Arakan Army launched a military campaign against the Myanmar Army to control the state and managed to capture 14 out of 17 cities. This conflict has severely affected the Rohingya, who have faced violence, forced displacement, and persecution from both sides, following a “genocide” campaign by the Myanmar Army in 2017 that forced nearly one million to flee to Bangladesh.
