A violent clash between two armed Rohingya groups, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), has left one person dead and five others injured in a gunfight over territorial dominance at a Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.
The incident occurred around 3:30 PM on Wednesday in the area between Camp No. 14 at Hakim Para and Camp No. 15 at Jamtoli in Palongkhali Union, confirmed Mohammad Amir Zafar, Additional Deputy Inspector General (ADIG) of the 8th Armed Police Battalion (APBn).
The deceased has been identified as 19-year-old Abdur Rahman, son of Mohammad Abdullah from Block E-2 of Camp No. 14 in Hakim Para. His body was sent to the morgue of Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital for an autopsy.
The injured include Noor Mohammad (32), son of Siddik Ahmed; Mohammad Zobayer (37), son of Sultan Ahmed; Mohammad Shafayet, son of Rashid Ullah; Noor Alam, son of Dil Mohammad, all from Block E-2 of Camp No. 14 in Hakim Para, and Nesara (55), wife of Lal Mia from Camp No. 15 in Jamtoli.
According to Amir Zafar, “An unexpected clash erupted between ARSA and RSO terrorists in the area between Camps No. 14 and 15 in Ukhiya. Around 20-25 shots were fired from both sides, and six Rohingyas were shot. When the APBn team arrived at the scene, the armed men fled.”
Locals rushed the injured to the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Jamtoli, where Abdur Rahman was pronounced dead. The others were transferred for further treatment.
Police suspect that the clash occurred due to a power struggle between the rival groups over control of the Rohingya camps. Investigations are ongoing, and efforts to apprehend those involved are underway.
