AA unable to confirm reported deaths of 100 Muslims at battlefront

 The Arakan Army (AA) is yet to  confirm the reports claiming that 70 to 100 Muslims, who were forcibly enlisted and deployed at frontlines, were killed at Ah Ngu Maw battlefront in  Rathedaung township of Rakhine State.

"Some reports claim over 70 deaths, while others mention over 90 casualties. However, there is no truth to these claims. While there were casualties during the Rathedaung township conflict, the actual number will be around ten,” said AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha.

He admitted that several Muslim youths were recruited to fight in the frontline around Rathedaung after a brief military training and some of them died.

"Now the military junta is providing brief training to the Muslim youths and deploying them to fight in Rathedaung. We found some of their bodies during the clashes," added Khaing Thukha.

"The individuals assisting the Rohingya reported that on 12 March, the AA fighters attacked a boat carrying over 120 displaced Rohingya people near Ah Ngu Maw of  Rathedaung locality amid the ongoing clashes between the junta forces and AA members," reported the RFA Burmese.

Khaing Thukha however denied any such attack on the boat carrying the displaced Rohingya people.

"There was no attack on the boat carrying the Rohingyas. The media outlet should explain the motive behind such a wrong news. No Rohingya boats were attacked by AA fighters," he asserted.

The AA captured and now controls the area stretching from Ah Ngu Maw in Rathedaung to Buthidaung on the eastern side of May Yu mountain. Likewise, they have also taken control of the region from Ah Ngu Maw on the western side of May Yu mountain to Inn Din in the southern Maungdaw.

The ongoing fighting is occurring on the eastern bank of  May Yu river, with no reported incident of fighting on the western bank.

The  junta has enforced conscription laws and continues  arresting Muslim IDPs from Rakhine.

According to the local Muslims, after the conscription laws were enforced, many Muslim youths in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Kyaukphyu and Sittwe were arrested. Later they were trained and sent to the frontlines.

Photo: Ah Ngu Maw Jetty