Since the morning of 22 April, over 2,000 residentsfrom five villages near Kyee Kan Pyin border guard headquarters in Maungdawtownship of Rakhine State have fled due to fear of a potential fighting betweenthe junta forces and Arakha Army (AA) fighters in their locality.

The affected villages include Phar Wut Chaung, AungMingalar, Aung Tharyar, Kyee Kan Pyin, and Aung Zeya.

Number 7 border guard outpost near Kyein Chaungvillage in northern Maungdaw was captured by the AA fighters at 1:15 am on 11April.

"We fled because we apprehended an attack by AA fighters on Kyee Kan Pyin after taking Kyein Chaung village. Most ofthe residents left everything behind like cows, goats and chickens," saida fleeing woman from Aung Tharyar village.

According to the local residents, the villagers fledto northern localities which are under the control of AA. Some ran towardsother places where they have their relatives’ residences.