Rohingya Youths Abducted by AA in Maungdaw

In a deeply troubling development, over 2,500 Rohingya youths from various villages across Maungdaw have reportedly been abducted by the Arakan Army (AA). According to sources, these young people have been taken to the AA’s headquarters in Ka Maung Seik village, where they are being forced into grueling labor and even used as human shields in the ongoing conflict.

A source familiar with the situation shared, “There are between 2,500 and 3,000 Rohingya youths who have been forcibly recruited by the Arakan Army. They are being held at the AA’s headquarters in Ka Maung Seik village, where they are forced into daily labor and made to serve on the frontlines in clashes with the Myanmar Military and Rohingya armed groups.”

The work is relentless. “Every day, these young men are forced to cut 25 to 30 bundles of bamboo and wood, which they must carry on their shoulders to the battalion headquarters,” the source added.

The Arakan Army’s grip on the region is tightening. Residents say that movement within northern Maungdaw Township has become severely restricted. One must obtain approval from the AA’s headquarters to travel anywhere, and the costs are crushing. A local resident explained, “The AA has closed off the border, and no one can travel between Bangladesh and Arakan without approval from Ka Maung Seik village. In emergency situations, it costs between 500,000 and 700,000 MMK to get this approval.”

For those in desperate need of help, the situation is dire. One ill resident recounted, “I am sick and need medical treatment in Bangladesh because there are no medical facilities in Maungdaw. But I can’t afford the fee to get approval from the AA. I even met with a high-ranking officer at their headquarters to beg for help, but I am still stuck here, suffering without the care I urgently need.”

As these harrowing reports surface, the plight of the Rohingya youths and the broader community in Maungdaw under AA control is becoming increasingly severe.

Rohingya Vision News