The Arakan Army (AA), a powerful armed ethnic group in Myanmar, claimed victory over the town of Buthidaung in the western state of Rakhine after weeks of intense fighting. The spokesman for the AA, Khine Thu Kha, stated that their soldiers had taken control of the town, marking a significant defeat for the ruling junta.
However, accusations have emerged that the AA targeted members of the Muslim-minority Rohingya community during the offensive. Rohingya activists claim that AA troops forced people to leave their homes and set fire to houses in downtown Buthidaung, leading to the displacement of many residents.
The conflict in Myanmar has escalated since the military coup in 2021, with various ethnic armies, including the AA, launching offensives against the junta. The AA’s capture of Buthidaung represents a major challenge for the ruling regime, which has lost control of numerous military positions in recent months.
Aung Kyaw Moe, a Rohingya civil society activist, reported that Rohingya residents were trapped in Buthidaung during the offensive, resulting in casualties and widespread destruction. The situation remains volatile, with conflicting accounts of the events leading up to the town’s capture.
As the conflict in Myanmar continues to unfold, the plight of the Rohingya community remains a pressing concern, with thousands living in refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. The international community closely monitors the situation, hoping for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis.