Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
A new battalion commander in the Arakan Army has threatened to burn Rohingya villages in the city of Maungdaw in Arakan State if any activities linked to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) or the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) emerge.
Local sources informed the “Arakan News Agency” that this threat was made during a meeting held by the newly appointed commander “Du Li” in the sixth area of Pyingpyo village with officials from several villages, including “Pyingpyo,” “Kyauk Shilar,” “Paungzar,” “Lapaowzar,” “Shwezar,” “Mingala Gyi,” “Thayak Oak,” on July 8th.
He stated that any Rohingya villages witnessing movements from members of the two armed groups would be subject to burning, demanding residents not cooperate with the groups and to report any suspicious activity to the Arakan Army.
These threats came following internal changes within the ranks of the Arakan Army, where field commanders and soldiers were transferred from the “Chaung Wa” base and other areas on July 6th, followed by new reinforcements on July 7th to fill vacant positions.
According to one meeting participant, initially, the Arakan Army commander spoke in a reconciliatory tone, emphasizing that all residents, including Muslims, are part of the “Arakan People” and that there is no place for discrimination. However, he then issued a clear warning, saying: “If you cooperate with the two armed groups, we will burn your villages.”
Local sources reported that claims of the two armed groups’ movements in northern Maungdaw are unsupported by field evidence, noting that social media publications are fabricated materials used for fundraising purposes or as justification for displacement operations by the Arakan Army, as previously occurred in Buthidaung.
A resident of “Thi Chaung” village confirmed that the Rohingya in Maungdaw live under constant threat, lack security, and suffer from multiple violations, including arrests, displacement, ill-treatment, racial discrimination, and deprivation of freedom of movement, under what he described as “extremely poor” humanitarian conditions.
Since the Arakan Army took control of Maungdaw city on December 8th last year, it continued its violations against the Rohingya, including the closure of their homes following malicious complaints, seizing them, and confiscating their valuable possessions and displacing many families.
It imposed strict restrictions on the Rohingya, preventing their movement between villages, after restricting them through a network of security checkpoints at every entrance and exit point of each Rohingya village. Additionally, they.
