HRW Report Says At Least 170 Rohingya Civilians Were Killed in Buthidaung
- Arakan Now
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Arakan Now | 20 May 2026
A newly released report by Human Rights Watch says at least 170 Rohingya men, women, and children were killed during violence in Hoyya Siri village, Buthidaung Township, in May 2024, while hundreds more were reportedly injured, missing, or displaced.
The 56-page report, titled “Skeletons and Skulls Scattered Everywhere,” documents testimonies from Rohingya survivors who said civilians fleeing violence in Hoyya Siri village were attacked during clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar military forces.
According to Human Rights Watch, the incident took place on May 2, 2024, near two junta positions in Buthidaung Township. Survivors described chaotic scenes as families attempted to escape the fighting, with many civilians reportedly shot while fleeing through fields and village roads.
The rights group said its investigation was based on interviews with 41 Rohingya survivors and witnesses, as well as satellite imagery, photographs, and verified video evidence collected over nearly two years. Many witnesses later fled to Bangladesh, where they shared accounts of the violence with researchers.
Survivors interviewed by HRW described seeing bodies scattered across the area after the attack, including women and children. Some also alleged that Rohingya civilians who survived were later detained, robbed, or abused while attempting to reach safer areas.
Human Rights Watch said the death toll could be higher than 170, noting that Rohingya community groups previously estimated that more than 500 Rohingya civilians may have been killed during the violence in Buthidaung Township.
The organization called for an independent international investigation into alleged abuses against Rohingya civilians and urged greater international attention to the worsening humanitarian situation in Rakhine State.
More than one million Rohingya refugees continue to live in displacement camps and host communities across Bangladesh and the region, years after earlier waves of violence forced them to flee Myanmar. Rights groups warn that renewed conflict in Rakhine State is placing remaining Rohingya civilians at increasing risk.
Full HRW Report:
