Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
The Arakan Army, a separatist force, has released 314 individuals from the families of soldiers affiliated with Myanmar’s military junta, marking the first anniversary of its capture of Buthidaung town in western Myanmar’s Arakan State. The release, however, did not include any Rohingya detainees.
In a statement issued Sunday, the AA said those released had been detained during the battle to seize control of Buthidaung on May 18, 2024, which included attacks on military units such as Light Infantry Battalion 551 and Police Battalion 15.
The release included 69 individuals from 26 families belonging to the Thet, Khami, Mro, and Daingnet ethnic groups, and 245 individuals from 81 Rakhine families.
All were returned to their families, the statement noted, adding that there are ongoing plans to release more detainees from military families arrested in other towns during the same operation.
However, an unnamed AA official told Arakan News Agency that no decision has yet been made regarding the release of hundreds of Rohingya detainees from Maungdaw and Buthidaung, who were arrested on allegations of links to the Myanmar military junta and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).
The official added that the decision rests with the AA’s senior leadership, noting that if such a decision is made, the release process would begin immediately.
A few days ago, the AA released 225 people from military families, including 130 children and 95 women, who had been captured during the battle for Minbya town in Arakan State.
In November 2023, the Arakan Army launched a military campaign against the Myanmar military to take control of Arakan State, successfully seizing large parts of it. As a result of the conflict, Rohingya civilians were subjected to violence, forced displacement, and persecution by both sides. This came after they had already faced a genocidal campaign by the Myanmar military in 2017, which forced nearly one million Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.
The AA’s military campaign has led to the capture of 14 out of 17 towns in Arakan State, including Buthidaung. During the campaign, more than 10,000 people were detained, including junta soldiers and their family members.
