Five displaced civilians in Ann Township, Rakhine State, have died this week due to lack of access to medical care, food shortages, and severe weather conditions, according to aid workers. The area has been heavily affected by ongoing clashes between the military council and the Arakan Army (AA).
Nai Nai Zaw, a member of the Ley Waddy Myo Thit Youth Charity Group supporting displaced persons in Ann, explained, “Even if people have money, medicines are hard to find in Rakhine right now. Elderly individuals who fall ill have no access to proper care, and in some cases, not even basic medicine. Children without shelter are succumbing to the cold. These deaths were preventable but occurred due to extreme hardships.”
The deceased included three elderly individuals over 60 years old and two children around the age of five. Displaced persons in Ann Township are reportedly surviving on one meal per day and are in urgent need of food, medicine, warm clothing, and adequate shelter to endure the harsh winter conditions, Nai Nai Zaw added.
According to a report released by the Arakan Army on November 13, over 550,000 people have been displaced in Rakhine State since fighting resumed a year ago. The displaced population includes more than 300,000 women.
