Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
Local residents in Arakan State, western Myanmar, confirmed on Sunday that the Arakan Army (AA), which controls most of the state, has begun redeploying its forces stationed in Maungdaw in response to preparations by the Myanmar military to launch fresh attacks on the region.
Residents told Arakan News Agency that the AA has withdrawn nearly three quarters of its forces from camps in the northern part of Maungdaw and moved them to the southern areas, along with transferring ammunition and heavy weapons.
Eyewitnesses reported that AA camps in the northern part of the city are being evacuated. A battalion that used to have 30 soldiers now only contains between 5 and 6, while others have dropped from 15 soldiers to just 3 or 4. Witnesses also said troops are being transported from Buthidaung in military vehicles, and there are noticeable changes in military activity.
A Rakhine resident in Maungdaw confirmed that AA forces instructed them not to inform media outlets that their troops and bases had been withdrawn from the city. “If journalists ask whether the AA is still present, we are supposed to say there are many of them. We don’t know why they want us to lie, but they warned us not to tell the media the truth,” he said.
He added that each passing day is a tragedy for Maungdaw’s residents, who live in fear of arbitrary arrests carried out by the Arakan Army, as well as torture and displacement from their villages.
At the end of last month, the Myanmar government declared martial law in 14 towns across Arakan State as its army prepared to retake control of the region. This move sparked widespread fear among residents, with both Rohingya and Rakhine communities circulating calls for a mass exodus in case of renewed fighting.
Since seizing Maungdaw on December 8, 2024, the Arakan Army has continued its violations against the Rohingya, including seizing homes based on false accusations, looting valuables, and displacing numerous families. The group has also imposed strict movement restrictions, banning Rohingya from traveling between villages and installing checkpoints at every village entrance and exit. In addition, the AA is reportedly charging pedestrians and motorcycle owners fees to cross bridges.
The Arakan Army launched a major offensive in November 2023 against Myanmar’s military to take full control of Arakan. It has since captured 14 out of 17 towns in the state. However, the Rohingya have suffered heavily in the conflict, facing violence, forced displacement, and persecution from both sides, after previously enduring a genocidal campaign by the Myanmar military in 2017 that forced nearly one million to flee to Bangladesh.
