Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
On Tuesday, the Arakan Army released 17 Rohingya families who had been detained for more than four months in the police station of Maungdaw city in Arakan State, Western Myanmar, after paying 20 million Myanmar Kyat for each individual. They were forcibly expelled towards Bangladesh.
According to testimonies, the total number of detainees amounted to 78 people, including 36 men, 42 women, and children. The detainees faced harsh humanitarian conditions, receiving only one meal a day without medical treatment, leading to the death of two children due to diarrhea.
One of the released individuals told the “Arakan News Agency” that despite their release, they were not allowed to return to their villages and were threatened with imprisonment for 6 to 8 years if found again in Maungdaw without paying additional sums reaching 50 million Kyat for adults and 23 million Kyat for children.
According to residents’ testimonies, the released individuals were handed over to a smuggling network affiliated with the Arakan Army, known as the “Hlaing Kon Group,” where additional smuggling charges worth 700,000 Kyat per person were imposed to transport them to Bangladesh via the Naf River. Boats were seen waiting off Ladiar Island in preparation for crossing the border.
Observers said that the recent violations against the Rohingya reflect the Arakan Army’s transformation into a new oppressive authority, similar to the former military regime in its discriminatory and oppressive policies.
The Arakan Army had completely taken control of Maungdaw city in December 2024, causing thousands of residents from various ethnicities to flee internally and externally. Although some returned later, the Rohingya specifically faced arrest and forced expulsion towards Bangladesh.
Since the Arakan Army took control of the city specifically on December 8, it has continued its violations against the Rohingya, including closure of their homes following malicious complaints, seizure of them, and confiscation of their valuable properties, leading to displacement of many families.
Stricter restrictions were imposed on the Rohingya, including banning their movement between villages, after restricting it through a network of security checkpoints at the entrances and exits of each Rohingya village. Fees were also
