The Arakan Army, one of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic armed groups, has claimed full control over the 271-kilometer-long border with Bangladesh, following the capture of the last military outpost in Maungdaw. This advance marks a critical milestone in the group’s efforts for autonomy in the northern part of Rakhine state, a region that has become a focal point of Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.
The Arakan Army’s spokesperson, Khaing Thukha, confirmed in a text message to the Associated Press that the group seized the outpost on Sunday, taking control of Maungdaw after months of military offensives. The outpost commander, Brig.-Gen. Thurein Tun, was reportedly captured while attempting to flee the battle.
Maungdaw, located in western Myanmar near the Bangladesh border, had been under siege since June, with the Arakan Army already having captured neighboring towns such as Paletwa and Buthidaung earlier this year. Since November 2023, the group has gained control of 11 of Rakhine’s 17 townships and extended its influence into neighboring Chin state.
The Arakan Army’s control of Maungdaw solidifies its dominance in the northern region of Rakhine. The group has also claimed the capture of over 30 military outposts, though the army’s western command, which controls Rakhine and the southern part of Chin state, remains intact.
This latest victory marks a continued escalation in the broader civil war in Myanmar, which erupted after the military junta ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. Alongside pro-democracy guerrilla groups, ethnic armed forces like the Arakan Army are seeking greater autonomy from Myanmar’s military rulers.
The Arakan Army, which represents the Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group, has been accused of human rights violations, including the forced displacement of the Rohingya Muslim minority. The situation has raised concerns about the potential for renewed violence against the Rohingya, similar to the brutal crackdown in 2017 that led over 740,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. The Arakan Army has denied these allegations, despite reports of attacks on Rohingya civilians.
Amid the conflict, the Arakan Army has ordered the suspension of transport across the Naf River, a key crossing between Myanmar and Bangladesh, due to concerns about local Muslim populations attempting to escape to Bangladesh.
The group’s military successes are part of a larger ethnic alliance that has gained significant ground in various regions of Myanmar, including along the border with China, in a broader bid for greater autonomy and resistance against the central government. As the conflict intensifies, Myanmar’s military government has yet to comment on the situation in Maungdaw.
