On Sunday, 11 January 2026, around 9:40 am, a Bangladeshi girl named Huzaifa Afnan was wounded by a stray bullet fired during cross-border fighting between the Arakan Army and Rohingya armed militants. The incident occurred as the Arakan Army pursued the Rohingya fighters near the Whaikhyang area of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. This event sparked public outrage and dissatisfaction, both toward the Rohingya refugees and the local authorities, who were perceived as unable to ensure safety along the border. On the same day, reports indicated multiple Rohingya individuals fleeing across the border into Bangladesh, with 52 of them being detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) while trying to enter the country amid the ongoing clashes.
In the escalating fighting along the Myanmar–Bangladesh border between the Arakan Army and several armed Rohingya groups, Bangladeshi civilians have increasingly been caught in the crossfire, with stray bullets and explosions spilling into residential areas of Teknaf. One of the most serious recent incidents involved a child named Huzaifa Afnan, whose reported age varies between 9 and 12 years depending on the source. Some reporting identifies her as 9 years old, while other outlets variously report her age as 11 or 12, reflecting inconsistencies in early information flows during the incident.
She was shot on 11 January 2026 in the Techcha (Techi/Tesri) Bridge area of Lombabil, Whaikhyang Union, Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, after a bullet fired by the Arakan Army struck her while she was near her home. The timing of the shooting has also varied slightly between reports, with some stating 9:00 am, others 9:40 am, and several indicating around 10:00 am, though most accounts place the incident between 9:30 and 10:00 am. The child sustained a critical gunshot wound, described as entering through the face or ear and lodging in the head, and was rushed to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, where she has been kept on life support in the ICU, after initial, incorrect reports of her death were later withdrawn.
This incident occurred amid reports that fighting along the border has intensified over the past three days, with residents describing near-constant gunfire and explosions that have prevented them from sleeping, while bullets and mortar shells have reportedly ripped through rooftops and injured others in nearby villages. The insecurity did not end there: on 12 January 2026, another incident was recorded inside Bangladesh when a Bangladeshi fisherman was injured by a landmine, underscoring how the prolonged cross-border conflict continues to pose a serious and expanding risk to civilian life on the Bangladeshi side of the frontier. [New Age; Prothom Alo; The Daily Star; Bangla Telegraph]
On 11 January 2026 there was also a sudden and significant spike in armed Rohingya infiltration into Bangladesh, strongly indicating that intense and possibly pitched battles were underway across the Myanmar–Bangladesh border in Rakhine State between the Arakan Army (AA) and multiple armed Rohingya factions, prompting fighters to flee into Bangladeshi territory; claims circulated by Myanmar Daily News Network on 12 January 2026 asserted that heavy fighting had killed at least 83 AA militants and eight members of the Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA), though these figures remain unverified.
Coverage by Narinjara News largely corroborated the incident, reporting that on Sunday morning, 11 January, the BGB detained 52 militants fleeing clashes with the Arakan Army and later handed them over to Teknaf Police Station, with fighting stretching from the Naf River to Kyi Kyunt Island near border mileposts 35, 36, 45, and 46, and providing an affiliation breakdown of those arrested that included 29 members of ARA, 18 from Rohingya Islami Mahaz (RIM), three from ARSA, and two who do not belong to any armed groups, while also noting that at least 70 additional militants reportedly fled toward Bangladesh. The conflict environment involves multiple Rohingya armed factions—such as ARSA, RSO, the Nabi Hossain-led ARA, and RIM—alongside Myanmar military airstrikes, resulting in the unusually large number of armed infiltrators and spillover consequences for Bangladesh. [Bangla Stream; Narinjara; Teknaf Today]
A post circulating on social media shows a Rohingya militant admitting involvement with the Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA) and the Rohingya Islamic Mahaz (RIM). The individual is seen carrying what appears to be an ARA uniform; the uniform has been verified by comparison with other ARA-related posts on social media. The same individual was also photographed holding what appears to be a Zastava M76 marksman rifle or a copy of it modified with a custom scope and a regular-sized magazine for marksman support. It must be noted that the original M76 fires the fairly large 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge, which fits the profile of the magazine in the image above. The M76 was commonly seen with a smaller cartridge, and larger cartridges, such as the one seen in the photo, have been seen, but the overall quality of the build and the modifications suggest unprofessional work. In this region, such weapon modifications are known to be carried out in Myanmar and Pakistan. [Anadolu Agency]
The entry of so many Rohingya militants with injuries and being generally dishevelled suggests that the Rohingya militants have likely lost their engagement. The Rohingya male photographed above and whose video is posted below, has stated that he ran out of ammo, which is why he had to retreat from his position. Previous OSINT reports by Bangladesh Defence Journal had made note of sustained gunfights occurring very close to the Bangladeshi border at Whaikhyang. If this had been a pitched battle, as the numbers and supporting evidence point to, then the Arakan Army scored a victory.
Another video of a young Rohingya militant questioned by Bangladeshis verified the use of the MA-3, a close variant of the MA-1 with a collapsible buttstock; these are produced by the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw. Local accounts claim that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) did not prevent Rohingya militants nor the members of the Arakan Army from crossing into Bangladesh, a failure that allegedly contributed to a later shooting incident involving a young girl.
Based on the materials surfacing online, the militants did not carry proportional quantities of weapons and left their weapons hidden, lending partial support to claims that they intended to return to fight rather than establish a sustained presence inside Bangladesh. Videos circulating online include claims that clashes occurred against the Arakan Army (referred to in Rohingya language as “Mog Baghi”), alongside statements by an individual introduced as Saiyadul Amin from the Balukhali camp alleging that 20 to 50 Arakan Army members were killed. [Nafnewsbd; AR Mission English]
Ongoing fighting between the Arakan Army on one side and the Arakan Rohingya Army and Rohingya Islamic Mahaz on the other has reportedly resulted in casualties and instability that have spilt across the border into Bangladesh. The injury of Afnan inside Bangladesh became a flashpoint, triggering protests and intensifying friction between local Bangladeshi communities and Rohingya refugees. While local residents assisted injured Rohingyas with aid and medical care, visible mistrust and resentment toward both Rohingyas and state authorities emerged, reflecting a broader sense of insecurity and dissatisfaction with official responses. Local residents have been reported as having issued ultimatums to authorities to deal with Rohingya militants, underscoring the lack of safety felt by locals.
The entry of Rohingyas fleeing or transiting due to armed conflict poses immediate security risks, including the potential for information leaks, weakened law enforcement control, and a rise in criminal activity such as robbery. Unverified claims, combined with the information vacuum and emotional intensity surrounding the events, create fertile ground for misinformation, exaggeration, and manipulation. Illegal weapons carried by armed individuals may now be hidden or abandoned in border areas, increasing the risk of their later recovery and use. This environment raises the likelihood of future violent incidents and contributes to a growing sense that confrontation between Rohingya groups and local populations may only be a matter of time, especially as blame, fear, and distrust toward authorities continue to deepen.
Humanitarian workers operating in and around the camps may become particularly vulnerable, either as direct targets or as unintended collateral damage, if violence escalates. Additionally, residents have reported ammunition penetrating homes through tin-sheet roofs, underscoring the inadequacy of existing shelter structures in protecting civilians from stray fire.
To mitigate these risks, several measures are necessary. Border-adjacent areas should be designated as buffer zones with strict enforcement of arms control and clear restrictions on movement, including the regulation or suspension of tourism where security cannot be guaranteed. Civilians should receive basic training on emergency responses, such as seeking immediate shelter, administering first aid, and responsibly sharing accurate information to counter rumors. Authorities must prioritize rebuilding communication and trust with local communities through transparency, consistent enforcement of law, and visible accountability in order to prevent further erosion of confidence in the police, military, and state institutions.
Verification Note: The information in this report has been compiled from multiple credible sources and cross-checked for consistency. Data and reports have been used to corroborate events where possible. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, access limitations may prevent independent verification of all details.
Ahsan Tajwar is a Security and Strategic Reporting Fellow at the Bangladesh Defence Journal. His work focuses on law enforcement, transnational crime, organized trafficking networks, and cross-border security dynamics. He is currently pursuing a B.S.S. in Criminology and is involved with DUMUNA. His analysis relies heavily on an academic approach, with particular emphasis on their socio-cultural dimensions.