More Rohingya flee to Bangladesh amid ethnic clashes in Myanmar

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – Internally displaced Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine state have fled to Bangladesh in a new wave of forced migration in search of safety, refuge, and food as clashes between military junta forces and rebel groups escalate.

Many have crossed into the Rohingya refugee camp in southeastern Cox's Bazar, where 1.2 million Muslims from Myanmar have already sought refuge.

Mohammad Nur Hashem, a Rohingya Majhi, or community leader, in the Cox's Bazar Rohingya camp, told Anadolu by phone that "hundreds of Rohingya have gathered along the Bangladesh border in southeastern Bandarban and Transboundary Naf River."

"We confirm that some Rohingya have taken refuge in the Kutupalong and Balukhali camps in Cox's Bazar through illegal border crossing. The dire situation in Myanmar forced the new influx," said Hashem.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk also said last week that the ongoing armed conflict between Myanmar's junta and opposition armed groups had a significant impact on the suffering Rohingya community.

Hashem said, "Over a hundred Rohingya already reached different camps in Cox’s Bazar in the last two months."

Mohammed Rezuwan Khan, who lost contact with his sibling in Rakhine state, told Anadolu that "some of his relatives in Rakhine have internally been displaced as junta military conducted drive mostly in Muslim villages."

The new reports of Rohingya, as well as Burmese security personnel fleeing Myanmar, come as at least three ethnic armed groups, known as the Brotherhood Alliance, have been fighting the junta regime for control of northern Myanmar since late October.

Many people have been killed.

Earlier on Sunday, about 95 Burmese border police personnel fled to Bangladesh.

Last month, 276 Burmese soldiers from Myanmar sought refuge in India's northeastern state of Mizoram.

Since Feb. 2021, opposition armed groups have attacked junta forces that rule the Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian nation in ethnic clashes centered primarily in northern Myanmar, including Shan and Rakhine states.

They have captured many towns and outposts.

Earlier in mid-January, China brokered a cease-fire between warring parties and the ruling military junta.

The ongoing conflict is the world’s most violent with 2.6 million people remaining displaced and more than 18 million in need, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.

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