Myanmar ethnic armed group claims control of border region

Maungdaw town lies on the Naf river which separates Myanmar from Bangladesh and is home to many members of the persecuted Rohingya minority. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

A Myanmar ethnic armed group has claimed complete control of a key region along the Bangladesh border, piling further pressure on the junta battling opponents elsewhere across the country.

Fighting has rocked western Rakhine state since the Arakan Army (AA) attacked security forces in November last year, ending a ceasefire that had largely held since the junta’s 2021 coup.

AA fighters have seized swathes of territory in the state that is home to China and India-backed port projects and all but cut off state capital Sittwe.

A statement released by the AA late Tuesday said the group had “completely controlled the whole region of Maungdaw” — a district home to more than 110,000 people according to the last census — since Sunday.

The last junta base near Maungdaw town had fallen early Sunday after almost two months of fighting, it said, adding it had arrested a number of junta soldiers including the base commander.

A video released by the group showed men appearing to be surrendered Myanmar security forces walking out of damaged buildings, holding white flags and white pieces of styrofoam.

AFP has not been able to independently confirm the information and has contacted an AA spokesperson for comment.

Maungdaw town lies on the Naf river which separates Myanmar from Bangladesh and is home to many members of the persecuted Rohingya minority.

The junta has not responded to request for comment on the Maungdaw fighting.

In May, the AA said it had seized the town of Buthidaung, 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Maungdaw.

Several Rohingya diaspora groups later accused the AA of forcing Rohingya to flee and then looting and burning their homes — claims the AA called “propaganda”.

Last month the UN warned Rakhine state was heading towards famine, as ongoing clashes squeeze commerce and agricultural production.

“Rakhine’s economy has stopped functioning,” the report from the UN Development Programme said, projecting “famine conditions by mid-2025” if current levels of food insecurity are left unaddressed.