Two Muslim men suspected of brutally killing a 12-year-old Muslim girl in Ashit Gyar Village, Thayet Auk Village Tract, Maungdaw Township an area under the control of the Arakan Army (AA) have been detained and are currently under investigation by the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government, according to confirmation from the victim’s family members and local villagers.
The 12-year-old girl reportedly went missing around 3 p.m. on April 2 while walking around the village wearing some gold jewelry during the final day of a Muslim religious festival, according to her family and local residents.
Local villagers said that the girl’s body was later found near the village fence with stab wounds.
“We found the body near the border fence close to the village, with stab wounds below the abdomen. The perpetrators have been arrested by the AA,” a villager told Border News Agency.
Although the Arakan Army (AA) successfully took full control of Maungdaw Township along the Arakan-Bangladesh border on December 8 of last year during the decisive phase of the Arakan war, local residents say that violent attacks by armed militants identifying as Rohingya continue to occur frequently.
Locals in Maungdaw also report that the AA has not yet been able to fully secure the Arakan-Bangladesh border area or completely eliminate the so-called Rohingya armed militants. As a result, civilians in the region continue to live in fear and insecurity.
The suspects who allegedly raped and murdered the young girl were under the influence of drugs, and the gold jewelry she had been wearing—two small pieces was missing at the time of their arrest, according to her family and local villagers.
“It appears to be mainly related to drug abuse. Drugs are widely available and easy to access, and as a consequence, crimes like this are happening. The safety of young girls has become an increasing concern,” a village elder told Border News Agency.
The village is located in the northern part of Maungdaw Township, near the banks of the Naf River. Locals say that drug trafficking and frequent cross-border militant activities continue to occur in the area.
However, Arakanese civilians report that those involved in these crimes including drug traffickers and armed militants—have been spreading misinformation and propaganda, attempting to instill fear and confusion among the local population.
