by Hafizur Rahman
Rathedaung, Arakan State — October 17, 2026
More than 600 Rohingya residents of Anok Pyin village in Rathedaung Township have reportedly been ordered by the Arakan Army (AA) to leave their homes by October 17, raising fears of another displacement of Rohingya families in Arakan State.
A local villager told Rohingya Khobor that the order was issued on October 11 by an AA commander identified by the source as Yan Lwin Oo.
According to the villager, the commander referred to Rohingya residents as “Bengali” and told them to go to Bangladesh.
“We are worried because we have been told to leave our homes by October 17. We do not know where we will go or what will happen to our families,” the resident said.
The villager provided the account to Rohingya Khobor on October 15, two days before the reported deadline.
The information did not establish whether any families had already left the village or whether the reported order had been enforced by October 17.
The allegations have also been reported by Rohingya rights and community organisations.
On October 15, Action Against Rohingya Atrocities (AARA) raised concerns about a reported AA order requiring residents of Ah Nauk Pyin to leave by October 17.
The organisation separately alleged that 51 Rohingya villagers had been detained between September 23 and October 10 and that one elderly man had been killed. The whereabouts of the other reported detainees remained unknown, according to AARA.
Rohingya Monitor also reported the alleged detention of 51 villagers and the deadline to leave the village.
These additional allegations could not be independently verified by Rohingya Khobor.
The villager who spoke to Rohingya Khobor also described restrictions on Rohingya residents’ movement, saying that people travelling to nearby villages were required to obtain permission and provide two guarantors.
“If someone fails to return on time, the two guarantors may also face punishment. These restrictions make it difficult for Rohingya people to travel freely, even for short distances,” the resident said.
The reported deadline has left residents facing uncertainty about whether they can remain in their homes and where they might go if forced to leave.
Rohingya Khobor could not independently verify the reported order, the identity and role of the commander named by the source, or the current situation in the village.
No response from the AA was available at the time of reporting.
