Arakan News Agency
Local sources reported that forces affiliated with the Arakan militias abducted a Rohingya businessman on Saturday afternoon from his home in Maungdaw Township, northern Arakan State.
The victim, identified as Shuhuil, was taken from his residence in Latha Auk village at around 3:30 p.m., according to information obtained by Maungdaw Daily News.
Witnesses said a group of armed men raided the house, tied his hands and forcibly took him to an undisclosed location without presenting any arrest warrant or explaining the reasons for his detention.
The raid caused panic and fear among the businessman’s family members and local residents, amid a complete lack of official information about his whereabouts or condition.
Local sources noted that Shuhuil is a well-known Rohingya businessman in the area and had previously maintained business dealings with local actors, raising questions about the motives behind his abduction at this time.
A Rohingya activist said that the absence of internet and communication networks in parts of northern Arakan State is being exploited to carry out abuses away from public scrutiny, pointing to a gap between public rhetoric and practices on the ground.
A political observer warned that targeting Rohingya economic and civilian figures could deepen fear among the population and undermine community stability, stressing that detention without clear legal grounds constitutes a violation of civilian rights and further escalates tensions in the area.
As of publication, no official statement has been issued by the Arakan militias regarding the incident or Shuhuil’s fate. His family has appealed for immediate disclosure of his place of detention and guarantees for his safety.
Maungdaw and neighboring Buthidaung Township have witnessed a rise in arrests and detentions of Rohingya civilians in recent months, amid complex security conditions following the Arakan militias’ control over large parts of Arakan State.
Residents continue to complain about a lack of transparency regarding detainees’ fate and the denial of basic legal guarantees, alongside strict restrictions on movement and communications—developments that raise growing concerns over community stability and livelihoods in an already fragile humanitarian and security context.
