Buthidaung, Myanmar – In a recent development, sources from the United Nations (UN) have reported an urgent internal decision amongst international humanitarian organizations to relocate staff from Buthidaung and Maungdaw to Sittwe, amid escalating tensions and conflict in the region.
According to an anonymous staff member from the UN, the State Administration Council (SAC) announced two days ago that intense conflicts between the Arakan Army (AA) and the SAC are anticipated, posing significant risks not only to local populations but also to international expatriates working in the area. This announcement has prompted a heightened state of alert among various international organizations, leading to an urgent internal meeting to strategize on the safest course of action.
The primary consensus from these meetings is a coordinated move to Sittwe, a location deemed relatively safer under the current circumstances. This decision underscores the increasing volatility in the region and the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations in ensuring the safety of their staff while striving to assist the affected populations.
