Arakan News Agency
Local residents in Lasa Township and Shwezar Village in Maungdaw, Arakan State, reported that Buddhist Arakan militias (Arakan Army, AA) collected household records of Rohingya men and women, including those under 18 years old, to forcibly conscript them into military service.
A local source, as reported by Maungdaw Daily News, said that the Arakan separatist militias compiled lists to recruit Rohingya civilians in northern Arakan State, including children and women. He added that the conscription lists included the name of every individual, and if a male name was missing from the list, they would take the names of women instead.
He further stated that local residents in Shwezar Village and Lasa Township were divided into two groups, and conscription lists were collected for those under 18 and adults over 18, including both males and females. When a local official asked a militia member why women’s names were being taken, the response was that all girls and women must be forcibly conscripted.
Another source explained that since the start of conscription operations in Maungdaw, Arakan militias have imposed strict restrictions on the movement of Rohingya north and south. Any travel for medical or urgent reasons requires official permission from the regional office, with fees ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 kyat per permit.
In 2024, during battles involving the Myanmar army in Maungdaw and Buthidaung, some local Rohingya were forcibly conscripted by the Myanmar military council. After the Arakan militias took control of the towns, many Rohingya were arrested, tortured, and killed, and entire Rohingya villages were burned and destroyed.
The militias continue to force Rohingya into military service, representing a continuation of policies previously implemented by past military governments in northern Arakan State against Rohingya leaders and political activists.
