A clash broke out between the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and Border Guard Police (BGP) near old Zee Bin Chaung village in northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, on October 31, residents said.

The fighting occurred after BGP forces discovered an ARSAoutpost and the BGP arrested five ARSA members and seized two guns, said U A Tun Chay, head of Nant Thar Taung village in northern Maungdaw Township.

“The BGP was conducting security measures at the old village area and saw the outpost of ARSA,” he told DMG.

U Tun Hla Sein, a former Arakan State MP for Maungdaw Township, said: “There is drug trading in the area. The fighting breaks out when they meet there. I heard five members of ARSA were arrested and two guns were seized.”

U Kan Tun Aung, the Maungdaw Township administrator, said he was not aware of the reported clash between ARSA and BGP forces on Sunday.