Arakan Army Denies Killing 600 Rohingya in Rakhine

[geovalin]

AA

 

 

The Arakan Army (AA) has rejected claims that it massacred over 600 Rohingya civilians in Myanmar’s Rakhine State last May, calling the allegations “smear propaganda” and insisting the bodies shown in photos were those of junta soldiers.

 

At a press conference on Monday, AA spokesman Khaing Thukha responded to accusations made by Rohingya activist Ro Nay San Lwin, who posted images of skeletal remains allegedly belonging to victims from Htan Shauk Kham village in Buthidaung Township. The activist claimed women and children were among those killed during the AA’s attempt to seize the area.

 

Khaing Thukha countered that the photos depicted soldiers from Myanmar’s No. 15 Military Operations Command, killed in a three-day battle. “There are soldiers’ hats and boots with the bodies—clear indicators they were military, not civilians,” he said.

 

The AA’s denial comes amid mounting pressure from rights groups. Fortify Rights has urged the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged war crimes committed by the AA, including abductions, torture, and executions of Rohingya civilians. Human Rights Watch has also accused the group of serious abuses.

 

Ro Nay San Lwin maintains that his organisation possesses further evidence, including eyewitness accounts and video footage. “Now they can deny it. Later, I believe there will be justice for those killed,” he told The Irrawaddy.

 

The AA currently controls 14 of Rakhine’s 17 townships and is advancing on key strategic areas, including Sittwe and Kyaukphyu. Since launching a major anti-junta campaign in late 2023, over 400,000 people have been displaced, with nearly 200,000 fleeing to Bangladesh.

 

The ARNC and other Rohingya advocacy groups have condemned the alleged massacre as part of a broader campaign of ethnic violence. They argue that resistance to military oppression cannot justify atrocities against civilians.

 

As Myanmar’s conflict deepens, calls for international accountability grow louder—though justice remains elusive for many caught in the crossfire.

 

 

-2025-08-14

[proton]

The usual lies for propaganda from a certain religious group