Many residents of Rathedaung Township in Rakhine State have fled their homes because they are fearful that there will soon be heavy fighting in the area.

They are worried because junta forces have issued an ultimatum to the Arakan Army (AA) to leave bases in the area that they seized from the junta army by 25 August.

The commander of Light Infantry Battalions (LIBs) 536, 537 and 538 ordered the Rathedaung Township Administrator to make the village administrators of Pya Chaung Gyi Village and surrounding villages tell the AA to leave the former junta army bases, according to a local resident.

As the AA has not left the bases many residents have fled the area because they fear that a junta army offensive is imminent.
 
More than 2,000 people have fled from the villages of Pya Chaung Gyi, Pyin Khaung Ywar Thit, Pyin Khaung Ywar Haung and A Lei Ywar Chay.

“Only a few villagers are left in those villages. There is an IDP camp in Pya Chaung Gyi Village. Now all the people in the camp have fled. Some fled to Rathedaung Township. Some people fled to Awa Kan and Kyauk Saung Village", said a Rathedaung resident.

Mizzima contacted the AA spokesperson Khaing Thukha and Military Council spokespeople, but had received no response before publication.