Staff members of the United Nations and
international non-governmental organisations prepare to depart Sittwe
airport on August 28 in the wake of last Friday’s terrorist attacks.
Over 4000 ethnic Rakhine have fled their villages as fighting between
terrorists and the Tatmadaw escalated during the past three days, a
Rakhine State official said Monday.
Minister for Social Welfare and Resettlement Win Myat Aye and Rakhine
officials provided aid to the beleaguered villagers and helped in their
evacuation.
Minister Win Myat Aye and senior Rakhine officials visited some of the
villages that were badly damaged by the fighting, including the Taung
Bazar village, where some 100 suspected terrorists launched an attack on
August 26.
The minister told The Myanmar Times that thousands of ethnic Rakhine were fleeing their homes to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
“We only visited a few villages, so maybe in other villages more people
have fled their homes,” he said. “We are not sure if the number of
evacuees has doubled but there is already a list of evacuees.”
The Rakhine State information department said the ministers went to at
least five villages in two days and provided necessary assistance and
medical kits for fleeing ethnic people. Many people are fleeing to
Sittwe, Rathidaung and Ponnagyun, which are safe places from terrorist
attacks.
Minister Win Myat Aye said they have enough provisions to support some 24,000 evacuees for two months.
“We discussed with security forces the safety of all ethnic people and
we are satisfied with security conditions we have seen on the ground,”
he said.
According to the administrative department of Maungdaw township, the
police outposts and stations in Maungdaw were attacked by terrorists
before dawn on August 25 and clashes have continued between the
terrorist group and security forces since then. Security forces were
also conducting clearing operations in some villages.
U Kyaw Kyaw Oo, deputy officer of Maungdaw’s administrative department, told The Myanmar Times many people are fleeing and some are settling in safer areas.
“In the past two days we recorded 5000 evacuees,” he said.
“In the past two days we recorded 5000 evacuees,” he said.
According to refugees living in the makeshift camps in Bangladesh, at
least 2000 people have crossed into Bangladesh since Friday.
Source - MyanmarTimes
