Drone Strike Claims Lives of Numerous Rohingyas Fleeing Myanmar

According to accounts from four witnesses, activists, and a diplomat, drone attacks on Monday targeted families as they waited to cross the border into neighboring Bangladesh.

Boston Brand Media reported on the trending news of a devastating drone strike targeting Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar. The attack, which claimed the lives of many, including families with children, was described by survivors as a horrific scene, with people searching through piles of bodies to identify their loved ones. Occurring on Monday as families attempted to cross into Bangladesh, this incident is regarded as the deadliest assault on civilians in Rakhine state amidst ongoing clashes between Myanmar's military and rebel forces.

A pregnant woman and her 2-year-old daughter were among the victims. The attack's responsibility remains disputed, with both the Arakan Army and Myanmar's military blaming each other. Reuters could not independently verify the death toll or determine who was behind the strike.

Videos circulating on social media show bodies scattered across muddy ground, with belongings like suitcases and backpacks strewn around. Survivors estimated the death toll at over 200, with at least 70 bodies reported by another witness. The videos were confirmed to be from just outside the coastal town of Maungdaw, but the exact date of filming could not be verified.

One survivor, Mohammed Eleyas, recounted how his pregnant wife and 2-year-old daughter were fatally wounded in the attack while they stood together on the shoreline. Another survivor, Shamsuddin, managed to escape with his wife and newborn son, describing the aftermath of the attack with people crying out in pain from their injuries.

Further tragedy struck as boats carrying fleeing Rohingya across the Naf River, which separates Myanmar and Bangladesh, sank, resulting in additional deaths. Médecins Sans Frontières reported treating 39 people who crossed into Bangladesh with injuries from mortar shells and gunfire, with patients recounting bombings as they attempted to find boats to cross the river.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees acknowledged reports of deaths from boat capsizes in the Bay of Bengal and civilian casualties in Maungdaw but was unable to confirm specific numbers or details.

CONFLICT IN THE AREA

The Rohingya have faced severe persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for years. Over 730,000 fled the country in 2017 after a military crackdown, which the U.N. described as having genocidal intent. Myanmar has been in chaos since the military overthrew a democratically elected government in 2021, with mass protests turning into widespread armed conflict.

In recent weeks, Rohingya have been leaving Rakhine as the Arakan Army, one of the numerous armed groups involved, has made significant advances in the north, an area with a large Muslim population. Reuters previously reported that the militia burned down the largest Rohingya town in May, leaving Maungdaw, now under siege by the rebels, as the last major Rohingya settlement, apart from displacement camps further south. The Arakan Army has denied these accusations.

Activist groups have condemned the recent attacks, and a senior Western diplomat confirmed the reports. Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations and former special envoy to Myanmar, stated on X that the reports of hundreds of Rohingya killed at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border are accurate.

Myanmar's junta accused the Arakan Army of responsibility on its Telegram channel, but the militia denied involvement. According to the Arakan Army spokesperson Khine Thu Kha, the junta bombed the group because some family members of "terrorists" tried to leave for Bangladesh without permission.

ATTEMPTING TO REACH SAFETY

Reuters was able to verify the location of the videos circulating on social media by comparing the mountain's position and the shoreline's shape with file and satellite images of the area. The fencing shown in one of the videos also matched file imagery, further confirming the location as the area described by Shamsuddin.

Eleyas recounted the heartbreaking moments after the attack, detailing how his wife and daughter died and his desperate search for a boat to take them to Bangladesh. He shared that before his wife passed, they apologized to each other for any wrongs in their lives. Around midnight, he finally found a small boat and managed to cross the border.

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Source: NDTV‍