About 88 more members of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) have crossed into Bangladesh likely to escape the relentless onslaught of armed rebels in the country.

Myanmar have been embroiled in civil unrest since a junta takeover of power in early 2021, with armed rebels recently gaining an upper hand against the military.

Locals spotted them surrendering to the Bangladesh Coast Guard early Sunday after they entered Bangladesh by three wooden vessels through the Naf River in Shah Porir Dwip island. The island is located in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.

The Coast Guard later disarmed the BGP men and were preparing to hand them over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), sources said.

Foreign ministry’s Myanmar Wing chief Miah Md. Mainul Kabir confirmed the new entry of Myanmar security personnel when speaking with reporters. He, however, failed to specify the number of the new Myanmar asylum seekers set to be placed under BGB care.

A day earlier, less than 50 Myanmar border security members entered Bangladesh, Mainul Kabir said.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Adnan Chowdhury said he heard that about 80-90 Myanmar border security personnel fled to Bangladesh on Sunday. The Coast Guard and BGB are handling the matter, he said.