2,000 residents flee 5 villages in Maungdaw due to potential fighting

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

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

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

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

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