Fierce fighting in Rakhine, no sleep for Teknaf border residents
Cox’s Bazar Correspondent: The Arakan Army, another independent rebel group, is fighting fiercely with the country’s army to take over Rakhine State in Myanmar. Because of this, the Teknaf-Saint-Martin border has been shaking with loud explosions day and night for three consecutive days. A plume of smoke is visible.
On Tuesday (April 9) morning, explosions were heard in 40 villages, including Teknaf Municipality, St. Martin, Sabrang, Hnila, and Huaikung Union. Still, the houses of the other villages are shaking with the sound of explosions that are heard intermittently on the other side of Rakhine.
Chayed Alam, a member of St. Martin’s Union Council, said that houses on the island are shaking with the loud sound of explosions coming from Myanmar’s Rakhine. I don’t know where it ends. It seems that the conflict between the two sides in Myanmar is getting bigger day by day. The people of Saint Martin Island are getting sleepless due to their loud noise.
Rashid Ahmad, a resident of Huaikong, said that for several days, the loud sound of mortar shells was heard again and again across the border. But on Monday and Tuesday, intensity is seen more. The border is shaking with one explosion after another. A plume of smoke has been seen billowing in Rakhine since morning in the direction of Hoikung Tulatuli.
He also said that we are living in such a situation at the border that we have to be afraid all the time. I can’t sleep well at home because of the sound of mortar shells and bullets coming from across Myanmar day after day. When there is fire, there is such a loud noise that it seems like mortar shells are falling on our houses. Somehow passing the time like this.
Upazila is the is the executive officer of Teknaf. Adnan Chowdhury said the sound of gunshots is coming from the other side of the Naf River. BGB and the Coast Guard are on alert along our border. Besides, our border guard forces are on alert so that no Rohingya can infiltrate.
The situation in Rakhine is being closely monitored, said BGB’s Teknaf Battalion (2nd BGB) commander, Lt. Col. Md. Mohiuddin Ahmed. He said that due to the conflict in Myanmar, no Rohingya could infiltrate through the border, so BGB patrols have been increased in the Naf River and the border.
It is reported that the Arakan Army, a pro-independence armed group in Myanmar, continues to fight with the country’s army to take over Rakhine State. Because of this, for the last two and a half months, loud explosions were heard across the border, one after another. Earlier, several other rebel groups, including the Arakan Army, fought with the Myanmar Army and captured most of the areas, including BGP camps and border posts. Meanwhile, the rebel armed groups continued to attack to capture the army camps, including Maungdoo and Boli Bazar towns in Akyab district of Rakhine state.
