Myanmar government forces flee into Bangladesh during fighting with an ethnic armed group

By JULHAS ALAM
Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — A Bangladesh official says 95 members of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police have fled their posts and taken shelter in Bangladesh during fighting between Myanmar security forces and an ethnic minority army. The official says the Myanmar forces entered Bangladesh over the last two days to escape fighting with the Arakan Army in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Since Saturday, gunshots reportedly were heard in Bangladesh coming from the Myanmar side of the border. The Arakan Army is the well-trained military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority group which seeks autonomy from the central government. It has been attacking army outposts in Rakhine state since mid-November.