Naung Min Thu, Narinjara News, 4 August 2024
The Arakan Army (AA) on 2 August engaged in a clashwith Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) after ARSA members killed five civilians on 31 July.
The AA fighters chased them and it resulted in death of several rebels and detention of nine, said a close sourceto the AA.
The AA members launched the clearance operationagainst the ARSA members onMaungdaw-Kyein Chaung road. Skirmishes occurred at two locations namely Nga KhuYa and Phar Wut Chaung. Five ARSA rebels were captured near Phar Wut Chaung andfour near Nga Khu Ya, while many others were killed in the clash.
The ARSA on 31 July ambushed a car traveling from KantKaw Myaing village under Buthidaung township to Kyein Chaung villageunder Maungdaw township. The attack took place near Kyee Kan Pyin (south)village and the victims included a school teacher.
The teacher is identified as Daw Sein Hla Phyu (55).Her husband U Kyaw Min (55) along with U Zaw Zaw Min (35, alsoknown as Shwe Thet Ko), Ko Aung Myat San (25) and Ko Aung Myo San (25) alsolost their lives. They all hailed from ward number 4 in Buthidaunglocality.
In response to the incident, the AA fighters chasedthem. The skirmish broke out on the night of 2 August on the Maungdaw-KyeinChaung road.
The AA fighters continued their pursuit, leading to abattle near Phar Wut Chaung and Nga Khu Ya, where nine ARSA members were captured alive.
Due to the ongoing conflict, the AA memberstemporarily restricted travel in northern Maungdaw locality for securityreasons.
A local resident confirmed that the travelrestriction continued. He expressed hope that the roads will be reopened oncethe situation turns normal.
The junta forces, which lost control over northern and southern Maungdaw, are allegedly arming ARSA (whom theyofficially term as a terrorist group) in an effort to destabilize theregion.
The junta provided military training to Muslim youthsas well as rebels of ARSA, RSO and ARA to defend the 5th border guardpolice battalion and also Maungdaw town.
Local sources claim that ARSA leader Ashad Ullahwas killed in the battle. Moreover, over 300 military-trained Rohingya youths also died inthe fighting that took place in outskirt of Maungdaw on 30 July.
The junta, in collaboration with the RSO,recruited many young people from refugee camps inside Bangladesh and broughtthem to Maungdaw. After providing them two weeks long military training, they were prepared to face AA fighters. Many of those inexperienced youths were killed inthe conflict.