Myanmar’s 29 border guard personnel take refuge in Bangladesh

 At least 29 members of Myanmar's Border Guard Police (BGP) on the Rakhine border have taken refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Amidst clashes with the Arakan Army (AA) fighters, the border guard personnel fled to Bangladesh via Jamchari border point in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban locality this morning, reported Bangladeshi media outlets.

Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) public relations officer Shariful Islam confirmed the information by Monday afternoon.

The BGP personnel were disarmed before sending them to a safe shelter. The media reports also  indicated that they came from  Aung Tha Pyay border guard post in Maungdaw township of Rakhine State.

Earlier on 15 February, 330 members of various Myanmar forces including BGB  and custom-officers  crossed into Bangladesh after the conflict erupted. Later they were repatriated to Myanmar.

Continuous gun fighting and artillery shelling by junta forces are reported from  Teknaf border in Cox's Bazar locality for two weeks, reported by the Dhaka-based media outlets.

The sound of explosions after shelling by the junta forces were even audible from the Teknaf area on the international border.

"The  cross-border artillery shelling increased worries  among Teknaf residents. The workers remain inside out of fear and most of the residents in border areas are venturing out from their residences for emergency works only,” added  the media reports.