UN Reports 26,000 Displaced amid Ongoing Conflict in Myanmar

The United Nations reported that over 26,000 individuals have been displaced in Myanmar's western Rakhine state as a result of recent clashes between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and the Arakan Army (AA). The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) stated on Friday that these new figures bring the overall number of internally displaced people due to the conflict between the two sides to around 90,000.

According to the statement, since the informal ceasefire that was agreed upon a year ago was broken on November 13, there have been eleven deaths and over 30 injuries reported. Additionally, the MAF has allegedly detained more than 100 individuals, while the AA has detained five.

Since army general Min Aung Hlaing seized power in February 2021, Myanmar has been engulfed in a state of economic chaos and a new civil war, resulting in frequent clashes between the military and resistance groups. The latest round of violence erupted when the AA allegedly launched an attack on two border posts near the Maungdaw township, situated close to the Bangladesh border.

According to the UN body, the two parties had previously agreed to an informal ceasefire in November 2022. The UN body also reported incidents of MAF shelling in areas controlled by AA and confirmed that the military had carried out at least one operation with the support of air and naval forces.

The statement stated that the fighting has led to the suspension of most humanitarian activities and the blockage of virtually all roads and waterways between Rakhine townships. Monitoring groups report that there have been regular airstrikes and ground attacks on targets labeled as "terrorists" by the MAF, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians, including children, since 2021.

Whole villages have been burned down by junta soldiers and schools, clinics and hospitals destroyed in the attacks.