The military administration of Myanmar blocked important highways in Thandwe Township, southern Rakhine State, trapping locals while heavy fighting with the Arakan Army (AA) persisted.
The United League of Arakan, the AA’s political branch, urgently asked the residents and foreign organizations of Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Thandwe townships to leave, prompting the implementation of travel restrictions, according to Irrawaddy.
The regime’s checkpoints block the main Thandwe-Gwa-Yangon route, commanding residents to kill any villager attempting to escape along the main river path to Thandwe town. This comes after an unprovoked artillery attack on Shwe Hlay’s Lin Thi village on May 14 that claimed nine lives and caused a large-scale evacuation. Residents of Shwe Hlay, located 32 km north of Thandwe town, have been using the Sinkaung-Kinmaw river path as a means of escaping the ongoing violence.
Nonetheless, many people are unable to escape due to the regime’s restrictions. Early May saw the administration evacuate staff from the neighboring Tha Htay Chaung hydroelectric facility, but the locals remain trapped, with limited access to safer locations.
The situation has gotten worse since early May, as regime forces have increased their shelling and bombing of Thandwe Township’s residential districts. Tens of thousands of people from at least 10 villages in Shwe Hlay and the surrounding area of the Tha Htay Chaung project have fled to Thandwe town and nearby villages.
The dictatorship only permits ailing citizens and their caregivers to leave Thandwe. At least two days before their trip, residents must submit comprehensive forms containing personal data, medical records, and police clearance.
