At least 4 border guards ran away with arms and ammunition in Maungdaw of western Myanmar.

The military council troops have been desperately searching for those who fled from the border town yesterday.

Those ran away belonged to Sakaka 9th battalion of Myin Lwet border police station, located at the southern part of Maungdaw.

A person close to the 9th battalion said that the junta forces are now looking for them day and night around Maungdaw and nearby areas.

"An official from that camp informed us that 4 border guards had run away. The soldiers patrolled the whole night. Presently, several border guards are seen on the road. They are desperately looking for cars," he said.

The four fugitives have not been identified. Their official positions have also not been confirmed by Narinjara News.

Another local revealed that it was not known when actually those four police constables ran away. The authorities have found them as missing during the evening program.

"They may run away by 8 or 9 am. Later they were not seen in the evening line-up exercise,” he added.

During the gunfighting in Rakhine State, many military personnel reportedly took refuge in the camp of Arakan Army (AA).

On 3 January last, at least three soldiers from the Mrauk U based battalion (540) and one sergeant from the (378) battalion fled with arms.

Similarly, a number of junta soldiers ran away from Mahamuni Pagoda hill of Kyauk Taw locality last year.

Photograph caption: Military search operation for the fleeing border guards in Maungdaw continues.