Rafiq, a 32-year-old Rohingya refugee, recently crossed back into Myanmar from the world’s largest refugee settlement in southern Bangladesh. Armed and motivated, he joined a growing insurgency in a country he fled in 2017 amidst a military crackdown widely condemned as genocide. After sustaining a gunshot wound during weeks of combat, he returned to Cox’s Bazar. "We need to fight to take back our lands," Rafiq said. "There is no other way."
Rafiq is one of thousands of Rohingya recruited into armed groups amid rising violence and militant activity in the camps housing over a million refugees. Humanitarian reports and interviews with fighters, officials, and aid workers reveal recruitment efforts by insurgent groups have drawn between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters this year.
The complex conflict pits Rohingya militants, including the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) and Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), against Myanmar's Arakan Army, an ethnic Rakhine militia. Despite historical persecution, some Rohingya fighters have allied with Myanmar's military in exchange for weapons, training, and promises of citizenship—a compelling offer for a stateless population.
Many Rohingya insurgents, including teenagers, are coerced or lured with promises of ideological fulfillment and financial rewards. A leaked aid agency report detailed that between March and May alone, thousands were recruited from Cox's Bazar through inducements and threats.
"We didn’t go for the money," said insurgent Abu Afna, who fought in Myanmar's Maungdaw township. "We wanted the card, nationality." Yet, this uneasy alliance with the same junta accused of atrocities against the Rohingya has left fighters conflicted. "When I was with the junta, I felt I was standing next to the same people who raped and killed our mothers and sisters," Abu Afna added.
The ongoing battle for Maungdaw has stretched for over six months, with insurgents using guerrilla tactics to slow the Arakan Army's advance. Bangladesh officials, frustrated with the stalemate, attempted to mediate talks between the Rohingya and the Arakan Army earlier this year, but negotiations failed.
Meanwhile, the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar are increasingly volatile. Armed groups like RSO and ARSA are vying for dominance, leading to frequent shootings and disruptions to humanitarian operations. John Quinley, a director at Fortify Rights, reported that violence in the camps has reached its highest levels since 2017, with over 60 people killed this year.
Adding to the crisis, international funding for the camps is dwindling, with experts warning that without livelihood opportunities, more refugees—especially young men—may turn to militancy.
"We live in fear," said Sharit Ullah, a former farmer who fled Myanmar with his family. Struggling to secure food in the overcrowded camps, he expressed concern for his children amidst escalating violence.
The deteriorating situation poses significant risks not only for the refugees but for the region. Bangladesh officials worry that continued instability could draw neighboring countries into the conflict. Calls for international intervention to ensure safe repatriation and improve living conditions in the camps have intensified.
As the Rohingya crisis deepens, the future remains uncertain for a community caught between statelessness, violence, and a desperate fight for survival.