COX'S BAZAR, JAN 11: At least 49 members of a Rohingya armed group crossed into Bangladesh on Sunday following violent clashes between the Arakan Army and Rohingya armed groups in Rakhine, Myanmar. A Bangladeshi child, hit by a stray bullet during the fighting, remains in critical condition.
The group entered Bangladesh through the Hoikyang border area of Teknaf upazila between Sunday morning and noon. They are currently in police custody and are expected to be handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), according to officials.
Earlier on Sunday, 10-year-old Huzaifa Afnan, a fourth-grader, was admitted to the intensive care unit of Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) after being struck by a bullet fired from Myanmar. The ambulance carrying her arrived at the hospital around 4:30 pm, Medical Police Outpost Sub-Inspector Alauddin Talukdar said. Initial reports had incorrectly stated that the child had died.
The incident occurred around 10 am in the Whykong area near the border. Hoikyang Police Outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Khokon Kanti Rudra said that intense fighting broke out early Sunday between the Arakan Army and a Rohingya armed group inside Myanmar near the zero line along the Teknaf border. The two sides reportedly exchanged gunfire for nearly an hour.
"As the fighting intensified, members of the Rohingya armed group retreated towards the border. Around 9:00 am, fresh gunfire erupted, during which bullets from the Myanmar side struck a Bangladeshi house," he added.
Cox's Bazar Additional Superintendent of Police Alok Bishwas confirmed that the child had not died as earlier reported. The incident prompted local residents to block the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf regional highway in protest, demanding swift action. Additional army troops and law enforcement personnel were deployed to maintain order.
Heavy fighting continues in Myanmar's Rakhine State between the Arakan Army and ARSA. Over the past three days, gunfire across the border has sparked fear and panic among residents on the Bangladeshi side.The incident occurred around 10am on Sunday in the Whykong area near the border, according to police.
Hoikyang Police Outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Khokon Kanti Rudra said intense fighting broke out early Sunday between Arakan Army and a Rohingya armed group inside Myanmar, near the zero line along the Teknaf border. The two sides reportedly exchanged gunfire for nearly an hour.
"As the fighting intensified, members of Rohingya armed group retreated towards the border area. Around 9:00 AM, fresh gunfire erupted, during which bullets fired from Myanmar side struck a Bangladeshi house," he said.
Cox's Bazar Additional Superintendent of Police Alok Bishwas also confirmed the update, saying: "There were reports earlier that the child had died, but that is not correct."
"There is ongoing fighting on the other side of the border. A bullet from across the river struck the child," said Khokon Kanti Rudra, chief of the Whykong Police Outpost.
The incident sparked protests by local residents, who blocked the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf regional highway to demand action. Additional troops from the Army and other law-enforcing agencies were deployed to the area to maintain order.
Heavy fighting has been reported in Myanmar's Rakhine State between rival insurgent groups, the Arakan Army and ARSA. For the past three days, intense gunfire on the Myanmar side has sparked fear and panic among residents on the Bangladeshi side of the border.
