The Arakan Army (AA) has been accused of executing four Rohingya men who escaped a detention facility in Buthidaung Township, amid mounting allegations of torture, forced labor, and religious persecution under the armed group’s control.

The executions reportedly occurred on April 16 in Kyauk Tan village, three days after more than 20 Rohingya detainees fled an AA-run prison. Sources from the ground told Rohingya Khobor that the escapees were subjected to extreme inhumane treatment, including routine beatings, denial of medical care, and forced labor.

“Every day they beat us with sticks and forced us to carry heavy loads,” said one of the escaped prisoners, now in hiding. “If someone got sick, there was no doctor or medicine. When people died, we weren’t even allowed to bury them properly. Those who tried to escape—AA shot them without hesitation.”

The Arakan Army has yet to release an official statement regarding the reported executions.

Wave of Arrests and Abuses After Buthidaung Takeover

Following the AA’s recent occupation of Buthidaung, hundreds of Rohingya civilians have been arbitrarily arrested under accusations of collaborating with Myanmar’s military junta. Eyewitness accounts and testimonies reveal a pattern of widespread abuse against detainees—many of whom have been held without charges, legal representation, or contact with their families.

Rights monitors warn that the situation is rapidly deteriorating and could amount to crimes under international humanitarian law.

Destruction of Mosques and Civilian Infrastructure in Nanyar Kone

In a related development, local residents have reported that the AA destroyed four mosques, one madrasa, rice mills, and other essential infrastructure in Nanyar Kone village, which the armed group seized in January 2024 after clashing with junta forces.

“They destroyed our mosques, stole our machinery, even took motorcycles and furniture from homes,” said a displaced resident. “We have nothing left, and we are too afraid to return.”

Witnesses also confirmed widespread looting and the targeting of Muslim institutions, suggesting a systematic effort to erase Rohingya presence and heritage in areas under AA control. Villagers have been barred from returning, forcing many to live in makeshift shelters in remote hills and forests.

Calls for International Scrutiny and Accountability

The growing body of evidence paints a troubling picture of the AA's conduct in Rohingya-majority areas—raising serious concerns among international observers and human rights organizations.

“These are not isolated incidents. The Arakan Army is becoming a major perpetrator of human rights violations in western Myanmar,” said a spokesperson from the Rohingya Human Rights Initiative. “We are witnessing targeted killings, religious persecution, and mass displacement—all of which warrant urgent international intervention.”

Despite its claims of fighting for the self-determination of ethnic Rakhine people, the AA’s treatment of the Rohingya echoes the very abuses committed by the Myanmar military, which the group claims to oppose.

With thousands of Rohingya civilians now trapped between armed conflict, displacement, and deliberate persecution, advocacy groups are calling for immediate international monitoring and documentation missions in Rakhine State—particularly in newly captured areas like Buthidaung and Nanyar Kone.

“There is no justice, no protection, and no voice for us,” said a Rohingya farmer. “We are being erased one village at a time.”

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