By: Camp Correspondent
April 5, 2025
Rohingya communities in northern Maungdaw are facing renewed threats as armed Rakhine mobs, reportedly incited by recent tensions, roam the villages with sticks, knives, and verbal threats—accusing Rohingya residents of harboring a missing man allegedly abducted by ARSA.
Residents from U Shey Kya, Pwint Phyu Chaung, and Kyar Gaung Taung report that since April 2, mobs of local Rakhine men have been shouting abusive language, banging on Rohingya homes, and threatening mass violence. The escalation followed the reported arrest of a villager from Chan Pyin by ARSA, after which angry groups began combing nearby Rohingya areas.
“We are living in constant fear,” said Rahim Ullah, a 47-year-old resident of Pwint Phyu Chaung. “They come with weapons, shouting they will kill all Muslims. Our children are crying, and we don’t know when this terror will end.”
Despite the open threats, the Arakan Army (AA) has taken no steps to restrain the Rakhine mobs. Instead, the AA/ULA has reportedly ordered Rohingya families in U Kyet Kya village to evacuate by April 5.
“A soldier told us clearly: we must leave or face the consequences,” said Halima Khatun, a mother of five. “We don’t know where to go. We already lost our homes once. Now, it’s happening again.”
The growing instability comes amid escalating clashes between AA and ARSA in northern Maungdaw. Local sources report that the AA is preparing for a large-scale operation in the coming days.
Rohingya villagers, once again caught between armed groups and unchecked threats, remain displaced and uncertain—facing a future filled with fear, dispossession, and silence from authorities.
