20 Rohingyas gunned down in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps this year

Three Rohingya people were shot dead at the Madhurchara refugee camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar on Monday, taking the death toll of Rohingyas being gunned down in the refugee camps to 20 so far this year.

The deceased were Md Ilias, 31, Md Ishak, 54, of Madhurchara refugee camp and Firoz Khan, 18, of camp-3.

Seven others were also injured in Monday’s attack what the police said was carried out by the Myanmar armed group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) at around 4:00am.

All deceased were members of the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), another armed group in Myanmar.

Police said, on information, members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) rushed to the spot, but ARSA terrorists opened fire on police and the APBn retaliated in self-defence. At one point, ARSA terrorists fled to the hills and the situation became calm.

The APBn-14 is in charge of security at the refugee camp. APBn-14 commander and additional deputy inspector Md Iqbal told Prothom Alo that ARSA terrorists attacked the camp over establishing dominance and prior enmity and gunned down three RSO members. A manhunt was underway at the camps to nab the terrorists, he added.

Earlier, armed RSO members allegedly shot a Rohingya youth to death at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhiya on 28 May.