By: Camp Correspondent
Maungdaw, Rakhine State — 3 July 2025 | The Arakan Army (AA) has reportedly sealed off access along the Rakhine-Bangladesh border and is reinforcing its military presence in northern Maungdaw with additional troops, heavy weaponry, and drone surveillance, raising concerns of renewed conflict and further displacement.
According to local sources, the decision was announced during a community meeting on 30 June near the Hpoe Khaung Chaung rescue camp, where AA Battalion 10 met with village leaders from Mingalar Gyi, Kyauk Hle Kar, Pyin Phyu, Paung Zar, Hla Baw Zar, Tharyet Oak, and Shwe Zar.
During the meeting, AA commanders reportedly declared the border officially closed and issued a shoot-on-sight warning for any individuals attempting to enter from the Bangladesh side. Refugees, including Rohingya currently in Bangladesh, will not be allowed to return. Village leaders were warned they would face severe consequences if found sheltering or aiding returnees.
However, movement in the opposite direction remains permitted. According to the AA, up to 500–1,000 people from the Rakhine side will be allowed to cross into Bangladesh each day, though no reason was publicly given for the one-sided policy.
The closure has left several Rohingya patients stranded in Bangladesh, many of whom had traveled for medical treatment with permission from AA officers, reportedly paying between 200,000 and 300,000 kyats to obtain travel approval. Now, their families say they are unable to return home due to the sudden restriction.
In parallel with the border lockdown, the AA is carrying out a major military buildup in northern Maungdaw. Witnesses report that soldiers, weapons, and drones are being deployed in large numbers, with reinforcements arriving from both southern Maungdaw and Buthidaung via heavy military convoys.
Troops are also being reassigned from existing AA bases in the area, and new defensive positions are reportedly being established along strategic routes and near hilltops close to the border.
“The scale of this troop movement is much larger than previous operations,” said a local observer. “It’s clear something major is being prepared.”
The implications of this militarization remain unclear, but community members and aid workers warn that it could further destabilize an already volatile region, increase displacement, and block humanitarian access.
