At least 24 more personnel of Myanmar鈥檚 Border Guard Police crossed international borders with firearms and ammunition and sought shelter in Bangladesh amid continued fighting between Myanmar junta forces and ethnic rebel group Arakan Army between Thursday night and Friday evening, officials said.
Border Guard Bangladesh public relations officer Shariful Islam said that a total of 285 Myanmar personnel had taken shelter in Bangladesh since March 11.
All but 13 personnel entered through land borders in Bandarban and Cox鈥檚 Bazar, officials from the bordering areas said.
The 13 personnel sought assistance from the Bangladesh Coast Guard on the Naf River on Thursday night and were later taken into custody of BGB authorities.
Later on Friday evening, the BGB headquarters said 11 others sought shelters crossing the Jhimonbkhali and Hatimarajhiri borders.
Bangladesh border guard officials told 抖阴精品 that they had learned that a large number of soldiers were dismantled following a clash with the Arakan Army, and small groups were trying to sneak into Bangladeshi territories to save their lives with the hope of repatriation to their homeland soon.
A senior BGB official said that they had disarmed them and taken them to safe custody, where they would be quizzed for their ranks and files in the force they belong to.
A home ministry official said they were yet to finalise the repatriation date as the Myanmar soldiers kept coming.
In early February, 330 members of Myanmar security forces, including BGP, army personnel, and immigration officials, took shelter in Bangladesh.
On February 15, they were handed over to the Border Guard Police of Myanmar amid tight security.
Thailand-based news portal The Irrawaddy reported this week that the junta was now facing its most serious threat after losing control of strategic border regions adjacent to India, China, and Bangladesh.
Beijing, meanwhile, has urged all warring parties in Myanmar to halt hostilities and begin peace talks after escalating clashes saw the military regime lose more territory, including another major border town last week.
The message came as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed inquiries on recent developments in Myanmar, including the fall of Myawaddy, at a press briefing on Tuesday.