by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw, Rakhine State, March 29, 2026
Arakan Army forces have begun a population checking process targeting Rohingya residents in Tharzi village of northern Maungdaw, according to local sources.
The operation started on March 27 in Tharzi village, part of the Mingala Gyi village tract. Residents said the process resembles earlier “list and check” systems used by Myanmar’s former military authorities.
Local residents reported that families were gathered in large houses and made to stand in lines while officials recorded personal details and took photographs of each individual based on household lists.
“They made us line up family by family and took photos of everyone,” one resident said. “If a family has five people, they take five photos. It looks like the same system used before.”
Residents also said women were not allowed to wear hijab or burqa during the process.
Another source said that around two weeks before the checks began, officials had visited the village to map the area and take photographs, which are now being used in the current operation.
Sources added that some former government staff, including immigration workers and teachers, are involved in the process alongside Arakan Army authorities.
A Rohingya activist said similar population checks have been used since 1992 to monitor and control the Rohingya community.
The situation has created fear among residents, who say they are concerned about their safety and rights.
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