By: Camo Correspondent
April 6, 2025 – Maungdaw, Rakhine State
Tensions are escalating in northern Maungdaw as the Arakan Army (AA) carries out aggressive clearance operations targeting Rohingya communities. Eyewitnesses report that hundreds of civilians are being forced from their homes, made to sit for hours under the scorching sun while their houses are searched, and subjected to abuse.
The crackdown reportedly began after a Rakhine man, U Aye Tun Maung from Chan Pyin village, went missing. Without any concrete evidence, some Rakhine media outlets and Facebook users have accused the Rohingya community of abducting him, allegedly on behalf of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). These claims have triggered public threats and widespread unrest in the area.
Armed Rakhine mobs from Ngakhura and Chan Pyin villages, carrying sticks, knives, and other weapons, have been patrolling Rohingya villages, raising fears of targeted attacks. Meanwhile, AA forces have tightened control over several Rohingya villages.
A resident from Pyin Pyu Chaung said, “Our entire village was forced to sit in the open under the sun while AA soldiers ransacked our homes. Even children and the elderly were not spared. We weren’t allowed to return home or drink water.”
In Shaa Kaung Taung, at least three Rohingya men were detained by AA troops, and another man was allegedly stabbed to death during a house search. Similar operations have been reported in Pwin Phyu Chaung, U Shay Kyar, and Thayet Oo, where villages have been cordoned off and movement restricted.
Residents report severe shortages of food and water, and many families are preparing to flee if the violence continues. “We haven’t seen fear like this since 2017,” said a Rohingya father of five. “Our children are terrified. We don’t know what’s coming next.”
Eyewitnesses have also reported incidents of hate speech, with Rakhine mobs shouting slurs such as “Kalar, go away” and “Bengalis, go back to your country” while threatening villagers.
Rights observers have raised alarm over the AA’s increasing use of intimidation, forced displacement, and discriminatory treatment of Rohingya civilians. Analysts warn that the current actions closely resemble tactics used during the Myanmar military’s brutal 2017 crackdown.
“This situation is dangerously similar to the events that led to mass atrocities in the past,” said a regional human rights analyst. “If unchecked, it could result in yet another wave of mass displacement.”
Community leaders are calling for immediate international attention and protection for Rohingya civilians in Maungdaw as the situation continues to deteriorate.
