Three Rohingya killed in Bangladesh refugee camp turf war

The Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh continues to worsen, with nearly one million stateless and persecuted Rohingya Muslims living in sprawling and squalid camps. Most of them arrived after a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017. The situation has been exacerbated by skirmishes between armed groups within the camps, particularly following the forcible recruitment of refugees to fight in Myanmar's civil war.

In a recent incident, at least 100 members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) reportedly attacked a group of refugees conducting a security patrol in Cox’s Bazar district. This attack resulted in the deaths of three Rohingya individuals and injuries to seven others. The victims were shot and attacked with knives.

Tensions in the camps have escalated since April, as rival Rohingya groups have been forcibly recruiting young men and teenage boys to join the conflict in Myanmar. Around 1,500 Rohingya have been coerced into joining the fighting, according to a confidential report circulated among UN agencies.

To counter recruitment raids, anxious parents and Rohingya civic leaders have organized patrol groups within the camps. However, clashes between rival militant groups have resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Rohingya individuals this year alone.

The recruitment drives by Rohingya armed groups are aimed at supporting Myanmar's military against the Arakan Army, which seeks greater autonomy in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where around 600,000 Rohingya also reside. These developments underscore the complexity and volatility of the situation facing Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, as they continue to grapple with violence, displacement, and lack of basic rights and security.