By: Camp Correspondent
Maungdaw, July 12, 2025
Armed members of the Arakan Army (AA) blocked off two Rohingya villages in southern Maungdaw Township early Saturday morning and conducted house-to-house searches, citing suspicions of “outsiders” hiding in the area.
From around 4:00 AM to 10:00 AM, nearly 50 AA soldiers surrounded Pounzar and Pyin Phyu villages, sealing all entry and exit points. Troops then moved through the neighborhoods on foot, stopping pedestrians and inspecting homes they deemed suspicious.
“They came while most of us were still asleep,” said a resident of Pyin Phyu. “About 20 soldiers entered and searched many homes, though not all. They were looking for people they claimed had crossed from Bangladesh.”
No arrests were reported during the operation. However, villagers said they were questioned about recent movements, visitors, and alleged links to armed groups.
The AA reportedly justified the operation by accusing the villages of harboring unknown individuals who may have crossed the border illegally. Community members fear that such accusations could be used to justify future crackdowns or displacement.
Airstrikes and Shelling Create New Fears
The raid comes just a day after a wave of fresh military activity in Maungdaw. On July 11, a Myanmar military jet dropped two bombs—believed to weigh around 500 pounds each—on the northern parts of Maungdaw Township around 12:40 PM. Two hours later, around 2:00 PM, three artillery shells were fired by the Myanmar Navy near Kyauk Pandu, located in the southern zone of the township.
Although no casualties have been confirmed due to restricted access, locals report that the aerial presence and shelling have created widespread panic. That same evening, another military aircraft was seen flying overhead, though it did not carry out further strikes.
“The sky has become a source of fear now,” a resident told Rohingya Khobor. “We don’t know who is attacking or why. We just know we’re not safe—on the ground or from above.”
AA Recaptures Escaped Prisoners
Meanwhile, local sources confirmed that two military policemen who escaped from Maungdaw prison during fighting on July 8 were reportedly captured by AA fighters near Thain Taung Pyin village in Buthidaung Township on July 10.
These developments come amid a worsening climate of fear for Rohingya civilians caught between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army. Both forces have long histories of violence and impunity, and many Rohingya say they now live in daily terror, uncertain of what—or who—will strike next.
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