An anti-junta organization reported on Monday that approximately 200 troops from the Myanmar military have surrendered following the seizure of their headquarters by an ethnic minority army in Rakhine State, situated close to the border with Bangladesh.

According to reports, the Arakan Army, engaged in territorial conflicts with the military regime since the termination of a year-long ceasefire in November 2023, successfully took control of a junta camp in the western region of Myanmar’s Rakhine State, near the border with Bangladesh, last Thursday.

The capture of the No.15 Operation Command Headquarters marked a significant blow to the junta, which took power through a coup in 2021. The takeover followed a 12-day battle, adding to a series of setbacks faced by the ruling military authorities.

The Arakan Army released video evidence showing hundreds of soldiers and other individuals surrendering. The footage revealed that some of the surrendered troops, totaling around 200, belonged to battalions 552, 564, 565, and 551, having been captured during offensives between late March and early May.

Notably, the video footage also depicted junta soldiers alongside some Rohingya Muslims, with reports indicating complaints from the Rohingya community regarding forced conscription into the military.

While the exact number of junta troops held by the Arakan Army remains undisclosed, the insurgent group attributed the surrender to its effective blockade of the Operation Command Headquarters.

Efforts to reach Rakhine State’s junta spokesperson, Hla Thein, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.

Among the 12 military council battalions located in Buthidaung township under the jurisdiction of the No.15 Operation Command Headquarters, five, including the headquarters itself, have reportedly been captured.

Since November, the Arakan Army has gained control over nine townships across Rakhine State, with ongoing clashes reported in Ann, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Kyaukpyu townships.

BOB Post