More than 600 Rohingya residents of Anok Pyin village in Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State, have reportedly been ordered to leave their homes by October 17, raising fresh concerns over forced displacement and the safety of the Muslim minority in western Myanmar.

According to Rohingya Khobor, the order was issued on October 11 by an Arakan Army (AA) commander identified by a local resident as Yan Lwin Oo. The resident said the commander referred to Rohingya villagers as “Bengali” and instructed them to leave for Bangladesh.

“We are worried because we have been told to leave our homes by October 17. We do not know where we will go or what will happen to our families,” the villager told the outlet on October 15.

The reported deadline has placed hundreds of families under pressure, with residents uncertain about whether they will be allowed to remain in their homes or face another forced displacement. The account did not establish whether the order had been enforced or whether any families had already left the village.

Concerns have also been raised by Rohingya rights organisations over alleged arrests and violence in the area. On October 15, Action Against Rohingya Atrocities (AARA) reported that 51 Rohingya villagers had allegedly been detained between September 23 and October 10. The organisation also alleged that an elderly man had been killed, while the whereabouts of the other reported detainees remained unknown.

Rohingya Monitor separately reported the alleged detentions and the deadline for residents to leave. However, these claims have not been independently verified.

The resident also described restrictions on movement, saying Rohingya villagers travelling to nearby settlements must obtain permission and provide two guarantors. According to the account, the guarantors could face punishment if a traveller failed to return on time, further limiting residents' ability to move freely, even over short distances.

The allegations come amid continuing insecurity for Rohingya communities in Rakhine State, where years of persecution, restrictions on movement and conflict have left many families vulnerable to displacement. Any forced removal could deepen the hardship of a population that has repeatedly faced the loss of homes and access to basic rights.

The prospect of being sent to Bangladesh is particularly troubling for Rohingya families, given that more than a million refugees are already living in camps in Cox’s Bazar. Bangladesh continues to call for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, with their rights and security guaranteed.

Rohingya Khobor said it could not independently verify the reported eviction order, the identity and position of the commander named by the source, or the situation on the ground. The Arakan Army had not responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.

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