Insecurity amid ARSA threat for locals on Maungdaw border with Bangladesh

By Admin 25 Sep 2025

DMG Newsroom

25 September 2025, Maungdaw

Locals say the Arakan-Bangladesh border in northern Maungdaw Township is unsafe due to the activities of Muslim armed groups such as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, Rohingya Solidarity Organisation and Arakan Rohingya Army.

These Muslim armed groups are posing security challenges to the local population by ambushing pedestrians on streets in northern Maungdaw and frequently ambushing Arakan Army members.

"Locals are not safe at all; they can only work in the vicinity of the village and cannot travel to other places," said U Kyaw Zaw, a local man from Nanthattaung Village in northern Maungdaw Township. "Muslim armed groups ambush and kill locals along the main road at least once a month. No one has come back alive from encounters with Muslim armed groups."

Muslim armed groups often infiltrate the Naf River and Mayu Mountain Range through the Bangladesh border. Currently, there are frequent clashes due to ambushes of Maungdaw residents as well as attacks on Arakan Army security posts.

Locals say they are no longer able to engage in extensive agricultural and commercial activities, and are limited to working in close proximity to their villages.

"We are fine if there are no Muslim armed groups. We cannot go to Kyeinchaung Village and we do not dare to go anywhere to sell our goods," said U Shwe Ni Maung from Meetike Village, on the Bangladesh border. "If we go somewhere, we gather around 15 people. We are afraid of the danger from ARSA. Only without ARSA will we be able to work."

Residents of villages such as Thayargon, Thinbawhla, Nanthartaung, and Meetike say they are having difficulty traveling to Taungpyo Letwe town for medical treatment and shopping due to the threat of Muslim militants.

Locals want the Arakan Army to tighten security to protect them from the threat of Muslim militants.

The Arakan Army announced on September 19 that it would increase border security due to the activities of Muslim armed groups on the Arakan-Bangladesh border.

In an interview with The Irrawaddy, Commander-in-Chief of the Arakan Army Maj-Gen Twan Mrat Naing said that some military officials from Bangladesh are involved in the Muslim armed insurgency in the Maungdaw region.

A politician from Arakan State said, "I think the Bangladesh government is also among those who want to define Arakan State as an Islamic state. This is because the religious extremist ARSA is based in Bangladesh and is doing this. Bangladesh knowingly allows this, which is not in line with international law."

Fighting with ARSA in northern Maungdaw has forced locals to abandon their livelihoods and flee their homes, while commercial activities including trade have also come to a halt.

Locals report that there are frequent clashes at Innchaung and Kyauklone villages and at checkpoint 56, north of Taungpyo Letwe Town in northern Maungdaw Township.

Locals say that in addition to the predominant Muslim population, members of the Arakanese, Maramargyi, Mro and Daingnet ethnic groups living in northern Maungdaw are also being killed by ARSA.