The Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic armed group operating in western Myanmar’s Arakan State, is facing growing condemnation for a string of grave abuses against the Rohingya community, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, and possible extrajudicial killing.
Local sources reported that the AA detained at least 70 Rohingya civilians over the past week in Buthidaung and Pauktaw townships without legal process or justification. On July 27, eight villagers from “Ali Youn” village in Buthidaung were arrested during and after house-to-house raids, with no official reason provided. Days earlier, on July 24, a father and son from “Myoung Na” village were detained while foraging in the hills; only the son was later released, while the father, Yuzalal Ahmed, remains missing.
In another alarming incident, 60 Rohingya farmers were seized from two separate villages on July 26 while working in their fields. Their current whereaboutsremain unknown, and families fear for their safety.
Adding to these serious concerns, the body of a Rohingya man, Sho Namiya (35), was discovered near a waterway in Pauktaw on July 28—two weeks after he was detained by the AA on theft allegations. Eyewitnesses and local residents allege he was tortured to death while in custody. Camp leaders said the AA initially denied responsibility and later claimed the detainee had escaped, but his body was found soon after. Permission to retrieve and bury the body has reportedly been denied by the group.
Human rights monitor and community leaders have strongly criticized the Arakan Army’s actions, accusing it of employing a campaign of repression and ethnic intimidation against the already vulnerable Rohingya minority. Since launching an offensive in November 2023 against the Myanmar military, the AA has taken control of 14 out of 17 towns in Arakan State and now governs approximately 90% of the region.
Under AA control, the Rohingya face systemic abuse, including forced evictions, property seizures, movement restrictions enforced by checkpoint networks, and the closure of entire villages based on unverified accusations. Thousands remain trapped in displacement camps under strict surveillance.
Despite claiming to fight for ethnic self-determination, the Arakan Army’s treatment of the Rohingya contradicts international humanitarian law and echoes the same patterns of persecution previously inflicted by the Myanmar military. This cycle of violence has continued since the 2017 genocide, which drove nearly one million Rohingya into refugee camps in Bangladesh.
Rights groups have called on the international community to hold the Arakan Army accountable for these violations and ensure protection for Rohingya civilians caught between warring factions. Without urgent pressure and monitoring, advocates warn, the Rohingya risk falling victim once again to impunity and ethnically motivated violence.
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