by Hafizur Rahman
November 15, 2025. Maungdaw, Rakhine State
Arakan Army members continued sudden arrests of Rohingya residents in northern Maungdaw District on Friday, creating an atmosphere of deep fear across several villages. According to families in the area, a Rohingya man was detained without explanation while returning from Maungdaw town, marking the latest in a series of abrupt disappearances that have intensified over recent weeks.
The man, identified as Fotikkar, also known as Mohammed Siddik and aged around thirty, left his home in Chitta Dar Para early in the morning after receiving permission from the Arakan Army to travel to Maungdaw town for groceries. Community members said he left at nine in the morning and was expected to return before noon.
Residents reported that around twelve thirty in the afternoon, while he was halfway back to his village, Arakan Army members stopped him on the road and took him away. There was no explanation given at the time of the arrest. His family attempted to contact neighbours and other villagers but received no information about his whereabouts. One resident said the moment was frightening, explaining that “he was walking home, and a moment later he was taken away.”
Growing Fear Across Villages
Villagers say this incident is part of a broader pattern of arrests taking place almost daily. People speak quietly from house to house, describing how one person is taken in one village, followed by another from a different village the next day. Many say they no longer feel safe going to the market or returning home after simple errands. One Rohingya resident said they wake up each morning unsure who might disappear next.
Local people reported that the situation worsened after a small number of detainees were released from Buthidaung Prison. Since then, more residents have been taken without clear reasons. Families say they have no information about which Arakan Army unit made the arrests or why certain individuals were targeted. Several residents said they fear they may never see their missing relatives again.
Shared Fear in Maungdaw and Buthidaung
Rohingya communities in both Maungdaw and Buthidaung say the fear is widespread. Rakhine residents have also reported similar concerns about sudden detentions. A resident in Maungdaw said the atmosphere has changed completely, adding that “no one sleeps peacefully anymore.”
The arrests have further deepened the sense of insecurity in a region already affected by ongoing conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar junta, leaving civilians from all communities trapped in uncertainty.
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