Residents are fleeing Thandwe in southern Rakhine State after the United League of Arakan (ULA), the political wing of the Arakan Army (AA), warned that an attack on the town was imminent.
Other civilians who have stayed are packing up their belongings, said a Thandwe resident.
“Every household in our street is packing up and some are moving children and older people to rural areas,” she told The Irrawaddy.
The ULA issued a statement on Monday to civilians and international organizations operating in Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Thandwe townships, where fighting with the military regime is escalating, telling them to evacuate.
“Well-off families from Thandwe are going to Yangon. Some are moving to villages south of Thandwe while others have difficulties fleeing Thandwe and some stay to take care of their homes,” said a resident.
Many Thandwe central market businesses have closed, said a trader.
Fighting has occurred to the north of Thandwe for more than a month, with residents reporting that junta artillery has moved within 16km of the town.
Another Thandwe resident said: “The rents in villages south of Thandwe have tripled. Some residents can’t afford to leave and they remain in the town. Some stay for fear that their houses might be looted.”
Meanwhile, some residents have fled to Gwa town, 128km from Thandwe town.
The ULA statement accused the regime of targeting civilians and public places like markets, schools, clinics and religious buildings with aerial, naval and artillery bombardments as well as committing arson attacks on houses and destroying infrastructure in Rakhine.
The regime and the AA have clashed at least 12 times in Thandwe Township since fighting broke out on April 13. At least 25 civilians have reportedly been killed by junta shelling and airstrikes.
The AA has seized control of nine towns in Rakhine State and Paletwa Township in neighboring Chin State since launching its offensive in November.
