Myanmar clash: 9 more BGP men enter Bangladesh fleeing heavy gunfights

At least nine more personnel of Myanmar's Border Guard Police (BGP) crossed into Bangladesh this morning, fleeing intense clashes reported between the government troops and the rebels in the neighbouring country.

They were escorted to safety after the weapons they carried with them were deposited in the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) cache.

Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB)'s Teknaf 2 battalion Commander Lt. Col. Mohiuddin Ahmed confirmed their entry through different border points in Teknaf; however, he did not disclose the exact count of arrivals today (14 April).

He said, "These people have crossed into Bangladesh territory separately through different border points. The precise count will be determined once they are gathered together."

According to a Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) official familiar with the situation, nine armed Myanmar border guards fled through the Jhimangkhali and Kharangkhali borders of Teknaf's Nhila Union. Among them, several sustained injuries.

"These nine individuals were initially escorted to Nhila High School after they surrendered their weapons. From there, the injured were transported to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital in a BGB ambulance."

Amid the ongoing conflict in the neighbouring country, many from the Myanmar government forces have sought refuge in Bangladesh over the past few months, doing so in multiple stages.

On 30 March, three members of the Myanmar Army took refuge through the Naikhongchhari border. Prior to that, on 11 March, an additional 177 personnel from the Border Guard Police (BGP) and army sought shelter. They are all under the custody of the 11th Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) headquarters in Naikhongchhari.

Before this, 330 individuals from Myanmar fled to Bangladesh in several rounds. On 15 February, 330 people were repatriated back to Myanmar.