In a significant development in Myanmar’s escalating civil conflict, the Arakan Army (AA), one of the most formidable ethnic armed groups in the country, has claimed full control of the strategic western town of Maungdaw. This victory marks the capture of the last Myanmar army outpost in the region, securing the group’s dominance over the entire 271-kilometer (168-mile) border with Bangladesh.
Khaing Thukha, spokesperson for the AA, confirmed to the Associated Press that the group seized the outpost on Sunday. Brigadier-General Thurein Tun, the outpost’s commander, was reportedly captured while attempting to flee. The capture consolidates the AA’s control over northern Rakhine state, underscoring the group’s ongoing push for self-rule in the region.
Rakhine state, home to a complex history of ethnic tensions, has become a focal point in Myanmar’s broader civil war. The conflict has intensified since the military coup in 2021, which ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Ethnic armed groups, including the AA, have increasingly challenged the junta’s authority, striving for autonomy and self-determination.
The AA’s control now extends to 11 of Rakhine’s 17 townships, along with one township in neighboring Chin state. Maungdaw’s fall follows the earlier capture of other border towns, including Paletwa and Buthidaung. Ann, another strategically important town hosting the military’s western headquarters, is reportedly on the brink of falling entirely to the AA.
In a recent statement, the AA claimed to have taken over 30 military outposts across Rakhine, sparing only the army’s western command headquarters. This escalation has raised concerns over the junta’s diminishing control in the western region of Myanmar.
The ongoing conflict in Rakhine has reignited fears of violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority, a group already subject to widespread persecution. In 2017, a brutal military crackdown forced over 740,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, creating one of the world’s largest refugee crises.
The AA, which represents the Buddhist Rakhine majority in the region, denies allegations of targeting Rohingyas. However, the group has been accused of committing serious human rights violations, including forcing mass evacuations and attacking civilians. In mid-May, during its capture of Buthidaung, the AA allegedly displaced 200,000 residents—predominantly Rohingyas—and razed large parts of the town. Similar accusations emerged during the fighting in Maungdaw in August.
The AA has further restricted movement across the Naf River, which forms part of the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, claiming that police and local Muslims affiliated with the Myanmar military were attempting to flee to Bangladesh.
The capture of Maungdaw cements the AA’s control over Rakhine’s northern border, a region critical for trade and security. The group’s advance also poses a challenge for Myanmar’s military junta, which has been stretched thin by simultaneous insurgencies across the country.
The AA’s role within a broader ethnic alliance, which has been gaining ground in northeastern Myanmar near the Chinese border, further underscores the growing strength of Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups. These developments complicate the junta’s efforts to consolidate power and may shift the dynamics of Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.
The fall of Maungdaw highlights the fragmented state of Myanmar, where ethnic armed groups have taken control of significant swathes of territory. The AA’s push for autonomy in Rakhine state is part of a larger trend in which ethnic minorities are resisting the central government’s rule, seeking greater self-determination amid decades of conflict.
As the battle for control continues, the humanitarian toll on civilians, particularly vulnerable populations like the Rohingya, remains a pressing concern. Without meaningful intervention, the cycle of violence in Rakhine and across Myanmar risks further destabilizing the region and deepening the country’s internal divisions.
