By: Camp Correspondent
Minbya Township, Rakhine State — May 17, 2025
The Arakan Army (AA) has released 225 family members of Myanmar military personnel who were captured during earlier clashes in Minbya Township, according to local AA officials. The release occurred on May 16 and marks the second such event in recent months.
“These individuals had committed no crimes. After internal assessments, we decided to release them,” said an AA representative, adding that those freed included women, children, and elderly relatives of soldiers stationed in the area.
This follows an earlier release on April 13, when 270 military family members were freed by the AA under similar conditions.
The total number of detainees still being held remains unclear, as the Myanmar junta continues to carry out frequent airstrikes in and around Minbya, making it difficult for independent monitors or aid agencies to verify conditions on the ground.
The AA launched a major offensive in Minbya on February 16, 2024, capturing several military outposts and bases that had long been under Myanmar army control. Since then, the group has claimed to be working toward restoring stability and civil administration, although the area remains highly volatile due to ongoing aerial bombardments by junta forces.
Human rights observers have urged all armed groups to uphold international humanitarian law, particularly concerning the treatment of civilians and detainees during armed conflict.
While the latest release is seen by some as a positive gesture, the broader conflict in Rakhine State continues to escalate, displacing civilians and raising concerns about retaliatory violence and deepening divisions.
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