By: Hafizur Rahman
August 9, 2025
Eyewitnesses and survivors accuse the Arakan Army (AA) of killing nearly 600 civilians in Htan Shauk Kan—locally known as Honya Seeri—on May 2, 2024. The dead reportedly included women, children, elderly people, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities. Survivors say the killings were sudden, carried out without warning or apparent reason.
According to multiple accounts, some bodies were burned with gasoline in an attempt to conceal the crime. Despite these efforts, the atrocity could not be hidden. More than a year later, graphic photographs emerged from the site, showing human remains exposed, partly submerged in water and overgrown by vegetation.
“There is no escape from justice. The dead cry out for accountability. Those responsible must be held to account,” said a local community leader, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
Death Toll May Be Higher
Rohingya activist Nay San Lwin says the actual number of victims is likely even greater than initial estimates.
“Although at least 600 people were killed, the actual number is likely higher. Almost the entire village was wiped out, with only a few survivors left. Entire families were killed. The photos that surfaced recently were taken in March but only reached us after contact with survivors who had just arrived in Bangladesh.”
Alleged Coercion and Evidence Destruction
Following the release of the photographs, disturbing new allegations have emerged. Multiple sources claim that AA members are coercing Rohingya villagers into recording video statements blaming the Myanmar military for the massacre. These villagers are reportedly being forced to sign documents and speak on camera denying AA’s involvement in both the killings and the burning of homes.
Eyewitnesses further allege that AA fighters have removed skeletons and other remains from the site in an effort to erase physical evidence of the mass killing.
Call for International Investigation
Human rights observers warn that any manipulation of testimony or destruction of evidence could seriously hinder future investigations and deny justice to victims’ families. The incident has renewed calls for independent, international investigations into crimes committed against civilians in Rakhine State, regardless of the perpetrator.
