A three-way armed confrontation broke out inside a Rohingya refugee camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Thursday, leaving a mother and her son injured by gunfire and triggering panic among residents.
The clash took place in Blocks B-40 and B-41 of Camp 8 East, where intermittent gunfire was reported from around 5.30pm until approximately 10pm. The prolonged exchange of fire kept residents indoors and heightened fears of further violence in the densely populated camp.
The two injured people were identified as Tahera Begum, wife of Nur Alam, and their son, Mohammad Yusuf. Both are residents of Block B-41.
According to local sources and eyewitness accounts, the confrontation involved members of three Rohingya armed groups — the Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA), the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO).
The exact circumstances that triggered the fighting were not immediately clear.
Residents living near the scene said the sound of gunfire continued intermittently for several hours. The intensity of the shooting caused widespread fear in surrounding blocks, with many families taking shelter inside their homes as the confrontation continued.
Some Rohingya residents estimated that between 120 and 200 rounds may have been fired during the incident. That figure, however, could not immediately be independently verified, and authorities had not confirmed the precise number of rounds fired.
Tahera Begum and Mohammad Yusuf were rescued after sustaining gunshot injuries and initially taken to the MSF hospital in Kutupalong. As their condition deteriorated, doctors referred them to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for further treatment.
Mohammad Riaz Uddin Ahmed, acting commander of the 8 Armed Police Battalion (APBn), confirmed that an exchange of gunfire had taken place in the B-40 and B-41 blocks of Camp 8 East.
He said security personnel were sent to the area promptly after receiving information about the shooting. According to him, the situation was brought under control by the law enforcement agencies.
The APBn commander also confirmed that two members of the same family had been wounded in the shooting. They were first taken to the MSF hospital in Kutupalong before being transferred to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital when their condition worsened.
Law enforcement personnel are now collecting information about the incident and working to identify those involved, Ahmed said. Security measures are also being maintained in and around the affected area to prevent any further escalation.
The latest incident again highlights the security challenges faced by residents of the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. The camps are densely populated, and armed violence within or around residential blocks can pose a direct threat to civilians who have no involvement in such confrontations.
For residents, the danger is not limited to the groups involved in a dispute. Gunfire during clashes can spread beyond the immediate area, leaving nearby families vulnerable. The injury of a mother and her son in Thursday’s incident illustrates that risk.
Authorities have said they are continuing to monitor the situation closely and gather further details about the confrontation. The identities of those responsible and the precise cause of the clash are expected to become clearer as the investigation progresses.
