Hnin Nwe — Thousands of people have fled their homes since artillery shells landed in or near some villages in Arakan State’s Kyauktaw Township over recent days, lawmakers and residents said.

More than 1,000 people from Myauk Taung village, over 2,000 people from Thazi village and more than 2,000 people from Shwe Pyi village have sought shelter elsewhere, residents said.

Those displaced are now staying at relatives’ homes and monasteries, where they are facing numerous daily living challenges, including accessing healthcare and ensuring their children’s continued education, a villager of Shwe Pyi said.

“People who have to depend on daily wages are facing difficulties with everything including food, clothes and living,” said Arakan State MP U Maung Maung for Kyauktaw Township.

Concerns among the displaced extend to ongoing fears for their safety, the lawmaker added.

The number of people internally displaced (IDPs) across several townships in Arakan State has surpassed 120,000 due to fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army ethnic armed group, according to the Rakhine Ethnics Congress.