3 border police officers desert their unit in Maungdaw

Three officers, including the camp commander, from the border guard police station (of Area 5 under Nakaka 7) in Maungdaw township of Rakhine State have deserted their unit on the night of July 3 after one of the suspects ran away from the custody.

The police station is located in Ngakhura village in the north of Maungdaw which is close to the Bangladesh border.

The names of those who deserted the camp are yet to be known.

A senior villager confirmed that an investigating officer and a lieutenant were included in the team. The lieutenant ran away with his wife from the camp.

“I don't know their names. But it's true that they ran away. We don't know the reason behind their departure,” added the villager.

Last year, a Muslim village administrator was arrested suspecting his connection with a robbery case that took place in Maungdaw township.

The suspected administrator is U Sirak of U Shein Kye village. He escaped from the custody in Ngakhura camp on 3 July.

The source added that the reason for those border police officers’ fleeing is related to the escape of the administrator.

There are about 40 men at the border guard police station and according to the latest information the military council has moved the army to the location.

"Now, a number of military vehicles are roaming in Ngakhura area. But no interrogation to the common people is observed,” he added.

An eyewitness informed that he saw hundreds of soldiers from Kyin Chaung operation strategy unit and number one border guard command headquarters in Kyi Gan Byint are moving by cars on the road.

"We have heard that three camp officials fled. I think that's why the army personnel are moving since the morning hours. They are fully armed and hundreds in number,” he added.

In northern Rakhine State, the border guard police personnel and soldiers often leave their camp to run away. On 6 March, four police personnel, who had just completed the training program from the border guard police station in the south of Maungdaw township, escaped with arms.