နိုင်နိုင် Arakan Army (AA) is currently clearing out ARSA militants in northern Maungdaw, Rakhine State, according to military sources close to the AA.
The Muslim armed group ARSA has been camping in villages near the Bangladesh border in northern Maungdaw, such as Mee Taik, Nant Thar Taung, and Kyeekan, so the AA has been clearing out the area, an AA military source said.
“In the past, ARSA groups were cleared out along the Mayu ridge. Now, ARSA groups have entered areas near the Bangladesh border in Maungdaw, so when the AA clears the area, there are clashes. ARSA groups have also escaped,”
the AA military source added. The military sources also said that the locals in Maungdaw Township need to be careful when travelling because of the escape of the ARSA groups.
The ARSA, ARA, and RSO Muslim armed groups are conducting military operations along the Mayu and Wailar mountains in northern Maungdaw, and they often ambush, capture, and kill local civilians.
Some locals who buy goods and merchandise along the Bangladesh border are also worried about travelling.
“On this side, we are afraid even if we travel from village to village. We are also worried that someone will come and shoot us. The locals are even more worried. We are also worried that something will happen on the way if we go to buy goods from Maungdaw,”
said a Buthidaung resident who sells goods and merchandise in Maungdaw town. Similarly, the AA cleared the areas around Wailar Mountain where ARSA troops were stationed last week, and all ARSA troops escaped, according to an AA military source.
ARSA, RSO, ARA Muslim armed groups are recruiting and training new members in refugee camps in Bangladesh to fight the AA, and Rakhine politicians are also assessing that the current ARSA force strength is about 3,000.
