The body of a Rohingya man bearing signs of injury has been found after he was abducted by the Arakan Army (AA) to Laldia Island near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. Three other men who were abducted with him remain missing.
Local sources told Wsnews24.com that the deceased, identified as Zafor (46 years old), was from Tharsi Village in the Mingalar Gyi area of Maungdaw Township. His body was discovered floating inside a boat near the border on Monday morning and was later identified by relatives. No trace of the other three men has been found so far.
The abduction reportedly occurred on the night of August 2, when the Arakan Army forcibly took four Rohingya fishermen to Laldia Island, which lies within the Naf River and is under AA control.
According to residents, the four fishermen had been transporting alcohol and other supplies to the Arakan Army on a daily basis. However, on that particular night, they forgot to deliver the alcohol. As a result, AA members reportedly beat and tortured them before killing one of the men and discarding his body into the river toward the Bangladeshi side.
Sources reported that the recovered body showed signs of bleeding from the mouth and nose, along with extensive bruises, indicating the victim had been subjected to brutal torture before death.
A refugee stated that the victim was buried in one of the refugee camps in Bangladesh after funeral prayers were held.
Speaking to wsnews24.com, a relative of the deceased, who identified himself as Zafor’s younger brother, said: “We recognized his body from the clothes and a scar on his hand. His face was disfigured, and he had bruises all over. He didn’t deserve to die like this. We are terrified for the others who are still missing.”
He added that their family had not been involved in any political activity and that Zafor only worked to feed his children. “We want justice,” he said with tears in his eyes.
Rohingya in Arakan State continue to suffer severe abuses under AA rule, including the closure and seizure of homes based on false accusations, confiscation of valuable belongings, forced displacement of families, and severe movement restrictions between villages enforced by a network of security checkpoints at every village entrance and exit.
The Arakan Army launched a military campaign in November 2023 against the Myanmar military to gain control of Arakan State and has since seized 14 out of 17 towns. Rohingya civilians have become collateral victims in this ongoing conflict, facing violence, forced displacement, and persecution from both sides. They had already endured a campaign of genocide by the Myanmar military in 2017, which forced nearly a million of them to flee to Bangladesh.
