September 23, 2025 — Fierce fighting has erupted in Northern Arakan State as the Arakan Army (AA) and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) battle for control near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, frontline sources told DVB.
The clashes began on September 16, when ARSA fighters reportedly launched an attack on an AA camp near Inchaung village in Maungdaw Township. The AA captured Maungdaw in December 2024, consolidating control over the entire 167-mile (270 km) stretch of the Myanmar-Bangladesh frontier.
On September 22, ARSA circulated a video on social media claiming that its members had seized an AA base in Maungdaw. The footage did not identify the exact location, and the AA has neither confirmed nor denied the claim. An AA source, however, told DVB that fighting between the two groups was continuing in northern Arakan State as of September 22.
Tensions escalated further after the AA accused ARSA and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) on September 19 of killing and abducting non-Muslim residents in Maungdaw. The group issued a warning advising civilians to notify AA authorities before traveling in contested areas.
The Arakan Army currently controls 14 of Arakan State’s 17 townships, as well as Paletwa Township in neighboring Chin State. However, key strategic areas including the state capital Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung remain under the junta’s administration.
