What Really Happened on 17 May 2024 in Buthidaung Township

Arakan Now – 17 May 2025

Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist, told Anadolu Agency: “In May, the (Arakan Army) ordered the Rohingya in downtown Buthidaung to leave the town no later than May 18 at 10 AM. When the Rohingya refused to leave, they set fire to the entire downtown area at 9:30 PM, not even waiting for their own deadline.”

Arakan Now interviewed an eyewitness, Anwar Farok:

“On the evening of May 17, 2024, I saw Arakan Army soldiers marching into Ward No. 1 in Buthidaung. I rushed home to warn my family, and soon after, we saw Rohingya houses burning and people fleeing in terror.

We quickly packed our important documents, knowing our home would be next. As we escaped, the AA burned buildings, killed people, and trapped Rohingya inside government buildings before setting them on fire.

My worst fear came true when I saw my own home engulfed in flames, turning into ashes in front of my eyes. My family and I joined nearly 500,000 other Rohingya on the road to Maungdaw, the highway completely filled with desperate people searching for safety.

But the AA blocked our path and forced us to go to rural areas instead. Along the way, we struggled with hunger, thirst, and constant attacks from the AA. At one point, we found a village with water and food, but the AA shot at us, forcing us to leave everything behind.

We kept walking, passing through burned villages and witnessing unimaginable suffering. Despite the dangers, we pushed forward, holding on to the hope of finding safety.

When we finally reached the next village, AA soldiers stopped us, refusing to let us enter and forcing us to rest outside in the scorching sun, leaving us uncertain of what would happen next.

Finally, we took refuge in Hpon Nyo Leik village, where the villagers welcomed us and treated us like their own family. They gave us shelter and food.”