By: Camp Correspondent, Hafizur Rahman
Buthidaung, Rakhine State — 3 July 2025 | The Arakan Army (AA) has reportedly taken control of four mosques in Ywat Nyo Taung village tract, Buthidaung Township, and is using them as military recruitment and operational centers, according to local sources familiar with the situation.
This development comes amid an escalating crisis in Rakhine State, where Rohingya communities continue to face forced evictions, village destruction, and heavy movement restrictions, as fighting between the AA and Myanmar’s military intensifies.
“We are not only losing our homes — now even our places of worship are being turned into military bases,” a displaced Rohingya man from Buthidaung told Rohingya Khobor. “This is deeply painful and frightening for our community.”
Under international humanitarian law, the use of religious buildings for military purposes is strictly prohibited. Community members say the AA’s occupation of mosques not only violates religious freedoms but also increases fear and instability among already traumatized populations.
“First, they burned our village,” said a Rohingya woman whose husband was detained by AA forces. “Then they forced us out. Now they’re using our mosques for war. How can we live like this? We have no safety, no future.”
Local witnesses report that the mosques are being used for recruitment drives, sheltering troops, and holding meetings, often accompanied by music and activities that desecrate the sanctity of the space. The community, already displaced from homes and farmland, is now grappling with the loss of spiritual spaces vital to their identity and resilience.
Since early 2024, the conflict in northern Rakhine has intensified, forcing tens of thousands of Rohingya to flee, with many seeking refuge in remote areas or across the border into Bangladesh. Both the Myanmar military and AA have been accused of abuses, including forced displacement, violence against civilians, and use of civilian infrastructure for combat operations.
Human rights observers say the targeting of Rohingya institutions such as mosques and schools reflects a longstanding pattern of systemic discrimination, aimed at erasing the Rohingya presence from northern Rakhine.
Without urgent international attention and protection, the situation is expected to deteriorate, with more communities at risk of losing their homes, rights, and dignity.
