Recent developments in Rakhine State have seen the Arakan Army (AA) accused of a brutal campaign targeting Rohingya communities following their military successes against the Burmese junta. According to satellite imagery analyst Nathan Ruser, the AA’s advances in Buthidaung township have been marked by systematic arson attacks on Rohingya villages. These attacks, which followed the capture of military positions by the AA, resulted in the destruction of approximately 8,500 buildings and the displacement of over 150,000 people.
The violence appears to be a retaliatory response to a junta-organized arson campaign carried out by Rohingya conscripts in mid-April. Ruser’s analysis reveals a disturbing pattern: after the AA captured military outposts, nearby Rohingya villages were burned within days, leaving a trail of destruction across the township. The AA’s actions have been interpreted as punitive retribution, inflamed by the military’s efforts to incite ethnic conflict between the Rohingya and the Rakhine.
The AA’s campaign has drawn widespread condemnation, raising questions about the group’s motivations and the potential complicity of its leadership. As the situation in Rakhine State deteriorates, the international community is increasingly concerned about the humanitarian crisis and the prospects for peace in the region.
