Naypyitaw — Two alleged Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) fighters died in a clash with security forces on Thursday evening on the Bangladesh border, according to Myanmar’s military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun.
“Troops undertaking border security duties clashed with around 30 ARSA troops at around 4 pm on Thursday. We found two bodies and two guns with them,” said Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun.
Border police on patrol engaged with alleged ARSA personnel near Mee Dike Village between border posts 34 and 35. After 30 minutes of fighting, the ARSA personnel retreated to the southeast, according to Myanmar’s military.
Two ARSA fighters in uniforms were found dead along with firearms and ammunition. Some police were injured, said Myanmar’s military.
Several clashes have been reported by government troops in recent years with ARSA in northern Rakhine State near the Bangladesh border. Myanmar’s military is also engaged in ongoing, heavy fighting with the Arakan Army in northern Rakhine State.
Two policemen were wounded in an alleged ARSA ambush on a Border Guard Police patrol on the border in early May.
According to the military, ARSA – which the government has labeled a terrorist organization – launched a series of attacks on security outposts in northern Rakhine on Aug. 25, 2017, killing 12 personnel.
The attacks prompted Myanmar’s military to carry out clearance operations that have driven around 730,000 Rohingya into neighboring Bangladesh.
The Gambia, a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, filed a case accusing Myanmar of genocide against the Rohingya at the International Court of Justice. The UN court in January ordered Myanmar to comply with four provisional measures as requested by The Gambia.
The measures require Myanmar to take steps to prevent genocide from occurring again; ensure that the military and its affiliates do not commit further acts of genocide; preserve all evidence of genocide; and provide regular updates on its progress on these measures.
Myanmar submitted its first report in May, with subsequent reports required every six months until the case is completed.
Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko
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