Arakan Army abducts 149 fishermen in two months
MEHADI HASSAN PALASH
The Arakan Army, a rebel group in Myanmar, has abducted 149 fishermen and boatmen from the Naf River in the last two months, according to a study by the CHT Research Foundation.
Of them, 121 were later released, while 28 remain in captivity.
The report, based on data collected between February 11 and April 8 this year, said 96 of the abducted were Bangalees and 53 were Rohingyas. During the same period, the group also seized 23 fishing boats.
In February, the Arakan Army abducted 17 Bangalee and 45 Rohingya fishermen and seized nine boats. It released 35 individuals that month.
In March, the group took 68 Bangalee and eight Rohingya fishermen, along with nine more boats. A total of 86 abductees were released during this time.
As of April 8, 11 more Bangalee fishermen and five boats had been seized.
The rebel group has been regularly abducting fishermen from both communities in recent weeks, the report noted. It also said that the Arakan Army has opened fire on commercial vessels heading to Saint Martin’s Island, leading to repeated disruptions in communications between the island and Teknaf.
