Beginning August 7, the Arakan Army (AA) forced a mass evacuation of the Rohingya from Maungdaw Township, claiming it was necessary for civilian protection. Yet, for the thousands displaced, this has been another catastrophic chapter in an unending cycle of persecution and flight. Food blockades, forced recruitment, and indiscriminate shelling left many Rohingya no choice but to embark on dangerous journeys toward Bangladesh.

A Vanishing Rohingya Enclave
Maungdaw was once a stronghold for the Rohingya, a place where the community, despite past waves of violence, attempted to rebuild some sense of normalcy. But as the AA escalated its conflict with the Myanmar military, life in Maungdaw became unsustainable.

A blockade on supplies sent food prices soaring, forcing families to ration every meal. Bombings and drone strikes made every home unsafe. Water shortages, medical neglect, and the fear of forced conscription further shattered the already fragile community.

Forced Out by Violence
Those who attempted to stay faced grim realities. Survivors describe indiscriminate attacks, executions, and in some cases, systematic torture. Many families were forced to flee from village to village before making the final decision to escape entirely.

By August 25, large portions of Maungdaw’s Rohingya population had left. Some paid smugglers everything they had to reach Bangladesh. Others faced kidnappings by criminal groups, extortion, and brutal pushbacks at the border.

The harrowing stories of survivors make one thing clear: the last major Rohingya enclave in Myanmar is disappearing.

👉 Read the full article on DVB English to learn more about this devastating exodus and what it means for the future of the Rohingya in Myanmar.

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