Myanmar’s Arakan Army (AA) has achieved a significant victory, seizing control of Maungdaw, a strategic town bordering Bangladesh. This victory grants the AA control over a substantial portion of Rakhine state and represents a major escalation in their fight for self-determination amidst Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.
In the escalating civil war in Myanmar, the military junta is using food as a weapon to crush resistance in Rakhine state, creating a humanitarian crisis with nearly 900,000 people at risk of starvation. The junta’s blockade strategy, including checkpoints, road closures, and restrictions on aid access, is severely limiting food supplies to areas controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic rebel group. The junta’s actions have been condemned as a systematic attempt to subjugate the population and weaken support for the AA. The international community’s response to this crisis has been muted, leaving the people of Rakhine facing a dire situation with limited aid and rising food prices.
Rohingya refugees are fleeing Myanmar in increasing numbers as violence between the military junta and the Arakan Army intensifies. The latest attacks, including the burning of a Rohingya town in May, are the most severe since the 2017 military campaign that forced over 730,000 Rohingya to seek refuge in Bangladesh. This surge in violence has left many dead and injured, and has overwhelmed resources in Bangladesh, where close to a million Rohingya already reside in refugee camps.
A devastating drone attack on Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar has resulted in the deaths of dozens, including families with children. The attack occurred on August 5th as refugees waited to cross into Bangladesh, marking the deadliest known assault on civilians in Rakhine state during recent fighting. Witnesses described scenes of horror, with bodies strewn across the ground and survivors searching desperately for loved ones. The Arakan Army has been accused of carrying out the attack, but the group has denied involvement.
