Arakan News Agency
Buddhist Arakan militias (Arakan Army) have detained dozens of Rohingya men after launching an operation targeting Kyauk Chaung village, north of Maungdaw town in Rakhine State, sparking fear among families for their loved ones.
Local sources reported to Arakan Now that the militias took approximately 40 men aged between 20 and 45 from their homes during an operation that began on November 29 around 1:00 p.m.
By December 2, about 26 to 27 of the detainees had been released, while nine men remain missing, including senior figures and respected village elders. Families fear they may face even harsher treatment in unknown locations.
Survivors stated that they endured three days of severe torture, physical beatings, and harsh interrogations. Some of the abuses occurred in front of women and children, reportedly intended to break the morale of the entire community and undermine their psychological dignity.
The released survivors show visible signs of trauma, with some suffering serious injuries, and others struggling to walk or speak due to the severity of the beatings. Families continue searching for the missing men amid ongoing anxiety and fear in the village.
Rohingya under the rule of the Arakan militias face widespread abuses, including eviction from their homes following false complaints, seizure of property, confiscation of valuables, displacement of many families, and strict movement restrictions between villages enforced through a network of security checkpoints at the entrances and exits of each Rohingya village.
The Arakan militias launched a military campaign in November 2023 against the Myanmar army to control the state, capturing 14 of 17 towns. This conflict has severely affected the Rohingya, who have suffered violence, forced displacement, and persecution from both sides. They had also previously been subjected to a “genocide” campaign by the Myanmar army in 2017, which forced nearly one million Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.
