Arakan Army Alleges Cross-Border Attack by Rohingya Insurgents in Maungdaw

The Arakan Army (AA) has raised concerns over recent cross-border militant activity, alleging that Rohingya insurgent groups carried out a coordinated assault on one of its bases in Maungdaw Township, near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

In an interview with The Irrawaddy, AA Commander-in-Chief Major General Tun Myat Naing claimed that fighters from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) launched an attack on the night of September 18.

The AA chief claimed that the assault was facilitated by “external elements” and came at a time when the group was working to stabilize areas of northern Rakhine it had recently taken control of from the military regime.

“We have credible intelligence indicating direct coordination between certain militant leaders and actors across the border,” said Major General Tun Myat Naing. He suggested that this marks a shift from previous incidents, where communication was believed to occur only through intermediaries.

According to the AA, the militants were instructed to target the Taungpyo area or adjacent AA positions near the border. “They were reportedly told to attack using whatever weapons they possessed,” he added.

The Irrawaddy contacted the Bangladeshi Embassy in Yangon for comment, but no response had been received by the time of publication.

The AA claims that the porous border region has allowed armed groups like ARSA and RSO to infiltrate Maungdaw. In a statement issued on September 19, the AA accused these groups of engaging in abductions, targeted killings of non-Muslim civilians, and spreading misinformation by disguising their victims in AA uniforms to falsely claim confrontations.

“Once they cross the border, they kill civilians and falsely present them as AA combatants on social media,” said Tun Myat Naing.

ARSA, designated a terrorist organization by both Myanmar and Malaysia, is active in northern Rakhine and has previously been implicated in incidents including the 2017 killings of Hindu villagers and violence in refugee camps in Bangladesh. The group has clashed with the AA since 2023 and is believed to have aligned with Myanmar’s military regime.

RSO, a separate insurgent and political organization established in 1982, reportedly rearmed after Myanmar’s 2021 coup. While it has taken a stand against ARSA in the past, it too has allegedly opposed the AA and is accused of forcibly recruiting child soldiers from refugee camps in Bangladesh.

As clashes along the frontier continue, the AA has advised civilians to avoid remote areas and inform local security personnel before traveling in sensitive zones.

At present, the Arakan Army says it controls 14 out of 17 townships in Rakhine State, including the full 271-kilometer border with Bangladesh.