Panic grips Rohingyas at zero line as shelling heard in Myanmar

Members of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) patrol on Walifong hill on the other side of Ghundhum border in Bandarban’s Naikhongchhari on 6 September 2022.
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Myanmar military and Arakan Army have been fighting fiercely for a month in Walidong hill inside Myanmar territory opposite to the Bangladesh border at Ghumdhum area in Bandarban's Naikhongchhari.

Since the beginning of the battle, both groups exchanged bullets, artillery and mortars between morning and afternoon, but on Friday, they suddenly started shelling mortars from the evening.

As of writing this report around 4:30pm, huge noise of shelling was heard from Tombru bazar inside Bangladesh, some 1.5 kilometre north of Walidong hill.

The territory between Konarpara of Tombru Bazar and Kha Mong Seik hill is no mans’ land and more than 4,200 people of 621 Rohingya families have been living there for five years and they are frightened over the ground battle as well shells, mortar and bombs fired from the sky.

Dill Mohammad, chairman of the managing committee of the camp, told Prothom Alo that a fierce clash has been going on between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army. The thud of firing has been shaking the refugee camp. Both parties are firing artillery and mortar shells at times. The battle started rocking the camp in the evening today spreading panic among the refugees.

However, there were no fighter jets or helicopters of the Myanmar army seen circling in the sky, he added.