A teenage Rohingya girl was killed after falling from a moving vehicle while attempting to escape alleged forced conscription by the Arakan Army (AA) in Maungdaw Township, according to local residents.
The victim, identified as Khushmida, was the daughter of Haffes Abul Shorma and Khumsuma from Let Wea Daung Pyin Shey village tract, Htin Sha Phin hamlet, in Buthidaung.
Circumstances of the Incident
Residents said that on 14 February, AA members surrounded Htin Sha Phin hamlet as part of what villagers described as an operation to recruit or forcibly conscript young women for military training.
According to a local source who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, Khushmida had been kept hidden for several days in different houses after the village was reportedly instructed to provide girls for training. Her father later brought her back home, believing prolonged concealment in others’ homes was unsafe.
When AA personnel entered the hamlet, they found Khushmida at her residence and took her away. While being transported by vehicle, she reportedly attempted to jump in an effort to escape. She fell from the moving vehicle and died from her injuries.
Growing Fears Over Recruitment Practices
Khushmida’s death has intensified fear among Rohingya communities in Maungdaw, where residents report increasing pressure on families to provide recruits.
Since escalating territorial control by the AA across large parts of northern Rakhine, local sources say various forms of civilian mobilization — including recruitment of young men and, more recently, young women — have expanded. While the AA has publicly positioned itself as a revolutionary force seeking self-determination for Rakhine State, Rohingya villagers allege that recruitment practices in some areas have involved coercion.
Community members report that many families are now hiding their daughters or moving them between villages to avoid potential conscription.
Legal and Humanitarian Concerns
The recruitment of minors or forced recruitment of civilians in conflict zones raises serious concerns under international humanitarian law. Although Khushmida’s exact age has not been independently confirmed, residents described her as a teenager.
Rohingya communities in northern Rakhine remain in a particularly vulnerable position. Stateless and subject to severe movement restrictions for years, many lack formal protection mechanisms or safe relocation options.
Human rights observers have previously warned that as armed actors consolidate territorial control in Northern Rakhine, civilians — especially marginalized communities — may face increased exposure to forced labor, taxation, and recruitment demands.
Climate of Fear in Northern Rakhine
In the aftermath of the incident, villagers describe an atmosphere of shock and anxiety. Parents reportedly fear that further recruitment drives could occur with little warning.
“We do not know how long we can protect our daughters,” one resident said.
With limited humanitarian access and reduced international monitoring presence in parts of northern Rakhine, documentation of such incidents remains challenging. Nevertheless, community sources indicate that fear of conscription is spreading across multiple Rohingya villages in the Buthidaung area.
