Teknaf, July 3 (V7N) – Fresh fighting in Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine State triggered a series of loud explosions on Thursday, with powerful blasts heard across the border in Bangladesh's Teknaf, alarming residents in the frontier region.
According to local residents, clashes resumed around midday in the Balibazar and Kumirkhali areas of Maungdaw Township in Myanmar's Rakhine State, directly opposite the Hnila and Hwaikyong border areas of Teknaf Upazila in Cox's Bazar district. The explosions were so intense that houses in several Bangladeshi border villages shook.
Residents said they heard at least seven powerful explosions by Thursday afternoon. The renewed violence follows reported airstrikes by Myanmar's military on Maungdaw Township on Wednesday, when bombs were reportedly dropped from military aircraft as fighting continued in the area.
Abdur Rahim, a businessman from Hnila, said a series of loud explosions could be heard from across the border around midday, creating fear among people living near the frontier.
Myanmar's Rakhine State has witnessed intense fighting for months between the Myanmar military and the ethnic armed group known as the Arakan Army, forcing thousands of civilians to flee and raising security concerns along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
Lieutenant Colonel Md. Zahirul Islam, commanding officer of the Ukhiya Battalion (64 Border Guard Bangladesh), said authorities were verifying reports of the explosions.
"We are gathering information regarding the explosions. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) remains on high alert," he said.
Bangladeshi border authorities said they are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any spillover of the conflict into Bangladesh.
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