by Hafizur Rahman
Maungdaw, September 26, 2025 — The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) has claimed responsibility for a major assault on an Arakan Army (AA) outpost in northern Maungdaw Township, escalating ongoing hostilities along the Myanmar-Bangladesh frontier.
ARSA’s Claim of Victory
In a video released on September 22, ARSA announced that its Special Operation Force (ASDF) had surrounded and attacked the AA base in the Y-Hlan Zone near Border Pillar No. 56 on September 20. The group asserted that 35 AA fighters were killed, others fled, and a large cache of weapons and ammunition was seized.
“This is one of the largest bases of the Arakan Army in Maungdaw,” ARSA declared, stressing that its forces are the only group operating in the area. “The fight is between us. No other organization is working in our area.”
Footage released by ARSA showed dead AA fighters and scenes of the seized outpost. This followed an earlier ARSA video from September 18, which displayed one AA member killed and another captured alive.
Escalating Confrontations
Independent verification of ARSA’s claims remains uncertain. The Arakan Army has neither confirmed nor denied the loss of its base. However, frontline sources cited by the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) confirmed that fighting between AA and ARSA forces continued in northern Maungdaw on September 22.
Reports indicate that ARSA fighters also attacked an AA camp near Inchaung village on September 16, suggesting a pattern of intensified confrontations throughout the month.
Accusations and Counterclaims
On September 19, the Arakan Army accused ARSA and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) of abducting and killing non-Muslim residents in Maungdaw. The AA advised civilians to inform its administration of travel movements for safety.
Growing Control of the AA
The Arakan Army, one of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic armed groups, has steadily expanded its authority across Rakhine State. Since seizing Maungdaw on December 8, 2024, the AA has claimed control of nearly the entire 270-kilometer border with Bangladesh. Currently, the AA holds 14 of 17 townships in Rakhine, as well as Paletwa in Chin State. However, key towns including Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung remain under the junta’s control.
Rising Threat to Civilians
The confrontation between ARSA and the AA marks a dangerous escalation in an already volatile border region where Rohingya civilians remain exposed to violence and displacement. While ARSA presents itself as the sole armed group defending Rohingya interests in Maungdaw, the AA has positioned itself as the administrative authority across much of Rakhine State.
Analysts warn that continued clashes could destabilize northern Maungdaw further, drive new waves of displacement, and complicate international humanitarian assistance already strained by the wider conflict in Myanmar.
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