Human Rights Watch has reported that the Arakan Army (AA) carried out a horrific new massacre on Rohingya civilians in Hoyar Siri village in northern Arakan State, killing at least 170 people, including 90 children, and injuring hundreds of others. Unofficial estimates indicate that the actual death toll could reach 500.
According to the report, which was based on testimonies from 41 eyewitnesses, satellite imagery analysis, and forensic photographs, AA fighters deliberately opened fire at extremely close range on columns of unarmed civilians as they attempted to flee the fighting between AA and the Myanmar military.
The attack reportedly left bodies scattered across fields and trenches. Human Rights Watch also documented abuses by Myanmar military forces, including the forced recruitment of Rohingya and the use of Rohingya as “human shields”.
The organization said abuses continued after the attack. According to the report, the AA burned the entire village and leveled it to the ground to prevent residents from returning. Forcibly detained survivors in a temporary camp in Nasur Para, which is under AA control, where they allegedly faced shortages of food and medical care, forced labor, and the recruitment of children.
Human Rights Watch said conditions in Arakan State remain unsafe for the return of Rohingya refugees, who also face restrictions in Bangladesh.
The organization called on the international community and donors to use the upcoming 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to pressure the parties to the conflict to halt abuses and allow independent international investigations. It also called for perpetrators to be prosecuted and referred to the International Criminal Court.
The AA has been engaged in an armed conflict with the Myanmar military in Arakan State for years. Fighting intensified from late 2023, when the group succeeded in taking control of dozens of towns and military bases across Arakan, while the military council’s influence declined across most areas of the state. At the same time, the AA has faced increasing accusations of serious abuses against Rohingya civilians, particularly in northern Arakan areas such as Maungdaw and Buthidaung.
