Over 100 members of Burma's Border Guard Police have sought refuge in Bangladesh as they flee from the ongoing conflict between Burmese security forces and an ethnic minority army, according to an official from Bangladesh's border agency on Monday.
For the first time, Burmese forces have sought refuge in Bangladesh following an offensive by ethnic minority armies against the military government in Burma.
According to Shariful Islam, a representative from Border Guard Bangladesh, the Burmese forces crossed the border in the last 48 hours while engaging in conflict with the Arakan Army in Burma's Rakhine state, which shares a border with Bangladesh. According to the source, a group of 103 troops crossed into the Bandarban district via the Tombru border.
Tragic news emerged on Monday as it was revealed that a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya refugee lost their lives due to shelling from Burma. The devastating incident occurred when a house in Bandarban was struck, as per Fox News.
In a recent statement to Parliament, Bangladesh's law minister, Anisul Huq, revealed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has advised the military and paramilitary border guards to exercise patience when addressing the tensions along the border.
On Monday, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud revealed that Burma's ambassador to Bangladesh, U. Aung Kyaw Moe, and Deputy Foreign Minister, U. Lwin Oo, informed Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs of their intention to repatriate their troops currently seeking refuge in Bangladesh.
The ministry has expressed its concerns to the Burmese envoy in Dhaka regarding the bullets and mortar shells from Burma that have been landing in Bangladesh. The Arakan Army represents the military faction of the Rakhine ethnic minority, which aims to achieve autonomy from the central government of Burma. Since November, there have been ongoing attacks on army outposts in the western state.
As part of an alliance of ethnic minority armies, an offensive was launched in October, resulting in the acquisition of strategic territory in Burma's northeast, which borders China. The success of the event was seen as a significant blow to the military government, which took control in February 2021 after overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The country is currently caught in a complex civil war.
In a statement released on Monday, the Three Brotherhood Alliance reported that two border outposts in Maungdaw township, Rakhine state, were attacked by the Arakan Army. The attackers managed to capture one of the outposts on Sunday. Khaing Thukha, a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, reported that the fighting at the second outpost persisted on Monday.
Tensions Rage on Myanmar Border
In October, a coalition of AA insurgents and fighters from various ethnic minority groups launched a coordinated attack in northern Myanmar, capturing strategic trade centers along the Chinese border.
In a recent development, the alliance made an announcement regarding a ceasefire mediated by China. However, it is important to note that this ceasefire does not extend to the regions near the Bangladeshi and Indian border, where hostilities persist.
A coalition of AA insurgents and fighters from various ethnic minority groups initiated a coordinated attack in northern Myanmar in October, capturing strategically important trade centers along the border with China.
Last month, a ceasefire was announced by the alliance, mediated by China. However, it is important to note that this ceasefire does not extend to the areas near the Bangladeshi and Indian borders, as fighting in those regions persists. Villagers residing near the border in Bangladesh expressed their concerns about the potential spillover of the ongoing conflict, SCMP reported.
