The terrorist groups, ARSA and ARA, which are notorious for their terrorist activities including killings, robberies, and kidnappings, have been provided additional military training and arms by the military council of Myanmar aka SAC, are found to have been repeatedly committing terrorist acts targeting non-Muslim ethnic groups northern Arakan.
Ever since fighting resumed between Arakha Army and SAC forces in Arakan on November the 13th, 2023, SAC, facing defeats on political and military fronts, have been training and arming Bengali Muslim extremists to create racial and ethnic violence, it has been found.
The Terrorist Military Council giving military training to militant Muslims in Sittwe
In 2017, the then-democratic government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar declared ARSA as a terrorist group. ARSA is an extremist militant group wanted by the Bangladesh government for committing various crimes such as robberies, murders, and kidnappings. The members of ARSA are also known to have killed fellow Muslims who refused to follow their ideology.
In 2021, the military junta known as the State Administration Council (SAC) took control of Myanmar through a coup. Since then, they have been arresting locals without cause and using small and heavy weapons to fire into towns and villages in the Butheedaung area. Reports suggest that Bengali Muslim militants, who have been trained and armed by SAC, are also involved in these attacks, along with members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA).
It should be noted that while some Bengali Muslims were forcibly conscripted or pressured to join the SAC forces, others joined voluntarily.
Reliable local sources told the AB News that these Bengali Muslim extremists, trained and armed with weapons provided by SAC, have plundered almost all the houses in town including 4 Buddhist religious buildings and looted valuables in Butheedaung.
Around 60 Muslim militants accompanied by 40 soldiers of the military council (SAC) came to Ward No.4 and Ward No.5 of Butheedaung on March 18th. They arrived in 5 tipper trucks, broke into over 40 homes, and stole cash, gold jewelry, and other valuables. One of the victims, a Hindu man who preferred to remain anonymous, shared this information with AB News. The Muslim militants and SAC soldiers reportedly camped at Thamada Guest House in Ward No. 3, Butheedaung on the same day.
The next day, about 300 Muslim men from such villages as Nga Kyaing Taut, Tatma Chaung, Laweda, Pazwan Chaung of Butheedaung township were brought into town in tipper trucks and made to demonstrate carrying signs such as “No to AA”, “No to War”, and “Protect Butheedaung”, and they were provided security by soldiers of SAC, eyewitnesses told the AB News.
A video of the protest circulating on Facebook showed that some Muslims who participated in the protest threw stones at Arakanese houses along the main road.
On April 3rd at around noon, a 70-year-old school teacher and religious leader named U Shwe Nay Maw from Ward No. 3 was arrested by approximately 30 armed Bengali Muslims, accompanied by soldiers from the Butheedaung-based SaKaKha (Regional Command) 15. He was interrogated and physically assaulted on suspicion of having connections with the Arakha Army. He was released at around 3 p.m. with bleeding wounds on his head, which required 7 stitches, it was reported.
On March 10th, around 50 soldiers from ARSA and SAC set fire to three Hindu houses on the road connecting Ward No.1 and Rwar Ma Village.
On the 11th of April, at around 11:00 a.m. SAC’s soldiers and armed Muslim militants launched arson attacks on more than 30 houses near Rwarthite Paing of Ward No.5 and Ran Aung Prung Monastery.
The Hindus residing in Butheedaung town are in danger due to threats from Muslim militants. They are currently unable to leave the town. Furthermore, a monk and 50 sick and elderly individuals at Aye Zedi Monastery, as well as two monks and two civilians at Mra Sein Raung Monastery, are also trapped. Additionally, almost 400 members of the Khumi community are similarly stuck in the village. They urgently need assistance, particularly in terms of food and medicine.
Yesterday, on April 14th at around 11:00 a.m. more than 300 Muslims including terrorists from ARSA marched through the town and then set fire to more than 20 houses in Ward No.4 and 5, according to townsfolks speaking to AB News.
On February 8, at 12:30 p.m. the ARSA terrorists shot dead a man from Darpaing Sayar Village, Butheedaung.
Similarly, on the 7th of March, the terrorist group, ARSA, arrested and killed 1 woman and 3 men on Thechaung Road who were going to Taungbro Town for shopping, the villagers told AB News.
The Arakha Army released a statement on March 20th stating that they had taken control of the 536th, 537th, and 538th infantry battalions based in Rathedaung. During the operation, they discovered the bodies of Muslim conscripts who had recently been recruited under the conscription law and had completed their military training under the State Administration Council (SAC), along with the bodies of SAC soldiers.
In addition, according to reliable sources, over 900 Muslim refugees from Bangladesh are currently attending short-term military training courses offered by the military council/SAC. This is noteworthy as the SAC has no authority to conscript individuals from the Bangladeshi refugee camps forcibly. These refugees, who are receiving aid from international humanitarian organizations, have voluntarily taken advantage of the situation in Myanmar to undergo military training, which implies their inherent militancy.
“Decisive actions will be taken against ARSA, ARA, and SAC who have been committing terrorist acts based on racial hatred,” said U Khaing Thu Kha, AA spokesperson. “As for our Arakha Army, our position remains unchanged. We will continue to protect innocent civilians and take action against those who are guilty. This is wartime, and we will take necessary actions accordingly,” he added.
An analyst of political affairs in Arakan has warned that the military council/SAC may be using ethnic diversity in the region to incite racial and ethnic violence, so people of all ethnic backgrounds should exercise caution.
“In Arakan, there are various ethnic groups, each following their religions. For generations, SAC has been exploiting this situation for its political gain by instigating ethnic and religious conflicts. In the past, people from different ethnicities have fallen into this trap. Therefore, we need to be cautious and vigilant to prevent such incidents from happening again,” he stated.
After Arakha Army has taken control of 9 out of 17 townships in Arakan, the defeated military council has been training and arming Bengali Muslim militants to resist Arakha Army’s offensives. However, these Muslim militants have been committing acts of violence against innocent civilians daily.