The Rohingya community in northern Arakan state is once again facing a brutal crackdown as the Arakan Army (AA) continues its reign of terror. In two separate incidents, a prominent Rohingya man was killed and a local pharmacist was beaten and threatened, adding to the growing fear and desperation of the Rohingya population.
Dr. Mohammad Junaid’s Tragic Death
On 6 September 2024, Dr. Mohammad Junaid, a well-respected resident of Ah Twin Ngat They village in Buthidaung Township, was brutally murdered by the AA. Junaid was abducted while buying supplies from the local market. Eyewitnesses reported that a group of armed AA members arrived suddenly, bound Junaid, and savagely beat him with guns, wooden sticks, and even kicked and punched him. After the brutal assault, they tied his neck with a rope and dragged him out of the market before shooting him dead.
Despite the horrific nature of the crime, the AA prevented Junaid’s family from seeing his body. His body was brought home at around 7:30 PM, but the family members were not allowed to view or mourn him properly. The AA then forced his wife to sign a letter falsely stating that he had been killed by a Rohingya armed group, not the AA. The army urgently buried his body, leaving the family and community in shock and fear.
A source close to the family revealed that AA guards surrounded the house during this time, ensuring no photographs or videos of Junaid’s body could be taken. Family members were also threatened not to speak about the incident, further adding to the climate of fear.
Dr. Junaid was known to be a peaceful man with no affiliations to armed groups or the military. His killing appears to have been based on false accusations of military involvement, a tactic that the AA has reportedly used to justify its violence against the Rohingya population.
Pharmacist Mohammad Ali’s Narrow Escape
A day earlier, on 5 September 2024, another incident occurred in Maungdaw Township, where a local Rohingya pharmacist, Mohammad Ali, was viciously beaten and threatened by the AA. Ali, a resident of Ywar Thit Ywar Hamlet, was closing his pharmacy in Kyaw Hle Kha market when members of the AA approached him for being out 10 minutes past the 6:00 PM curfew.
Ali was tied up and beaten with guns and wooden sticks. Witnesses say the AA threatened to shoot him on the spot, warning that if he was ever seen violating curfew again, he would be killed and his body burned. The AA has imposed strict curfews in Rohingya villages, and those who disobey are punished severely, often with the threat of death.
Rohingya Communities Under Siege
The AA has been in control of large parts of Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships since May 2024, following the withdrawal of Myanmar’s military. Since then, the Rohingya communities in these areas have faced escalating violence, with reports of killings, beatings, and intimidation tactics aimed at keeping the population subdued.
Rohingya villagers are now living in constant fear, caught between the AA and Myanmar’s military forces. They are calling for urgent intervention from the international community, as their situation grows more dire by the day. Humanitarian aid and protection are desperately needed to prevent further loss of life and ensure the safety of Rohingya families who are suffering under this relentless persecution.
As one elder from Arakan state said, “We are trapped between the AA and the military. The world must hear our cries for help before it’s too late.”
The Rohingya communities of northern Arakan continue to hope for international protection and assistance as their struggle for survival becomes more desperate with each passing day.
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