Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsOne dead in Arakan state following vicious attack by disguised gunmen

One dead in Arakan state following vicious attack by disguised gunmen

A group of armed men disguised as paramilitary border guards stormed the house of a village elder in Arakan state’s Maungdaw last Sunday, killing one person and critically injuring another, according to locals.

According to resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity in Maungdaw, about 20 men, dressed up as Border Frontier Force militias, locally known as the Na-Sa-Ka, arrived at the house of a 50 year-old local elder, Ba Din, around 1am on Sunday in Nga Khu Ya village and began attacking residences.

Ba Din’s older brother Maung Aye was shot twice and stabbed. He later died of his wounds on the way to a local hospital.

“There were about 20 of them, disguised as the Na-Sa-Ka, and they asked for Ba Din. When [Ba Din] came outside, they grabbed him by the hand and hacked him with a [machete] and tried to shoot him with a gun – but it failed to fire so they kept on hacking him – causing serious wounds to his shoulders and the head,” said the resident.

“Both his arms were broken and they hacked him in the groin area, too.”

According to the resident, the disguised gunmen then went into the house and began attacking other family members.

“Some of them began storming the door, but [Ba Din]’s younger brother managed to escape by climbing on the roof. The deceased – Maung Aye – was shot by one of the attackers when he got out of bed,” said the resident.

Maung Aye was shot twice during the assault and viciously stabbed with a large knife and died on the way to the hospital. Funeral services were held for him yesterday.

Ba Din remains in a critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery at the Sittwe Hospital, according to Rakhine Nationalities Development Party’s local parliamentarian Aung Myat Kyaw.

“He is under close watch by the doctors and in a critical condition. Apparently his head injury is life threatening,” said Aung Myat Kyaw.

Arakan state’s government was unavailable for comments.

Burma’s western state was rocked by intense, large-scale ethno-religious violence between Muslim Rohingya and Buddhist Arakanese across Arakan last year, which has bitterly divided communities.

However, the identity of those responsible and the motive behind the attack has not been confirmed.

RELATED ARTICLES

Feel the passion for press freedom ignite within you.

Join us as a valued contributor to our vibrant community, where your voice harmonizes with the symphony of truth. Together, we'll amplify the power of free journalism.

Lost Password?
Contact