Shells fall in Bangladesh amid Myanmar civil war... 2 dead

95 Myanmar Border Guards Flee to Bangladesh

In Myanmar, which has been embroiled in a civil war since the military coup, mortar shells crossed the border, resulting in two deaths in Bangladesh.

On the 1st (local time), Rohingya refugee children and women who came by boat from Myanmar are sitting in the shade of the forest at Kuala Parek Beach in East Aceh, Indonesia. Last year, about 4,500 Rohingya refugees escaped by boat from Bangladesh or Myanmar, among whom 569 were reported dead or missing. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 5th (local time), according to AFP and Reuters, Bangladeshi refugee authorities announced in the afternoon that "a Bangladeshi woman and a Rohingya man near the border were each killed by mortar shells fired from Myanmar, and one child was injured."

Additionally, Bangladeshi residents living near the Myanmar border explained that they are trembling with fear due to gunfire heard from Myanmar and Myanmar troops crossing the border, and are fleeing to distant areas.

Regarding this incident, a spokesperson for the Bangladeshi border guard stated, "As fighting between Myanmar rebel forces and the military regime intensifies, at least 95 Myanmar border guards have fled to Bangladesh armed over the past few days," adding, "Among them, 15 have been wounded by gunfire and are receiving treatment."

Since the end of last year, ethnic armed groups have been intensifying their offensives against the Myanmar military regime.

In particular, the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic armed group in Myanmar, has launched offensives against the Myanmar military in the western and northern regions of Myanmar. Although they have captured some areas, during this process, hundreds of Myanmar soldiers fleeing rebel attacks have crossed into India and Bangladesh.

In response, India announced plans to build a large-scale barbed wire fence over 1,600 km in length along the border region adjacent to Myanmar.

Since the military coup in February 2021, the Myanmar military has ousted the National League for Democracy (NLD) government led by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and has been violently suppressing opposition forces.

In this process, thousands of civilians have been detained, tortured, and killed. Furthermore, civilian infrastructure such as homes, schools, and healthcare facilities have been destroyed due to airstrikes, shelling, and arson. More than 2.6 million refugees have been displaced, and over 18 million people have been driven into poverty.