May 8, 2025
Rohingya Civilians Abducted with AA’s Disinformation Campaign
RHRC-Arakan Army (AA) has been reportedly accused of crimes of abduction, forced relocation and intentional propaganda against the remaining Rohingya people in northern Rakhine.
On May 5, 2025, three innocent Rohingya civilians Mohammed Ayoup (42), Mohammed Eliyas (26), and Gofur Alom (47) were abducted by the Arakan Army (AA) from Chilkhalli-Kyauk Chaung in northern Maungdaw Township. Despite credible evidence and eyewitness accounts confirming the AA’s involvement, several media outlets aligned with the AA are actively spreading false information and blaming the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) for this incident.
In response, an ARSA senior commander clearly confirmed to Arakan Press Network News that ARSA was not involved in the abductions. Also, ARSA maintains a strict role that forbids targeting civilians of any ethnic or religious background, including both Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist communities. It is evident that the AA and its affiliated media are intentionally distorting facts to shift blame onto ARSA and distract from their own atrocities.
Ancestral Villages Seized and Relocated by Force
Since April 20, 2025, Arakan Army ordered the evacuation of 40 villages and is compellingly operating and continuing evacuation in the northern side of Buthidaung township with the purpose of establishing Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps in accordance with the information from the civilians. All the people of Phaung Daw Pyan had to flee Bangladesh due to the conflict in 2017 while 173 people were brutally slaughtered from Phaung Daw Pyin, Mono village by the Military junta. Most of the slaughtered people were educators and their death bodies were not even found.
In addition, many Rohingya youths are being arbitrarily arrested, forced recruitment to revolution, operating brutal persecution, setting restrictions on religious practices, movement, and economy by the AA.
Rohingya Returnees Detained Despite Paying for Safe Passage
On April 26, 2025, around 100 Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh during the 2024 conflict between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military junta were taken back by the Arakan Army (AA) to Maungdaw Township in Rakhine State. A total of 27 Rohingya families, about 100 of whom were originally from Gonna Hamlet and Shwe Zar Ale Rawa, were brought back to Maungdaw Township by the Arakan Army (AA).
Each reportedly paid one million kyats for safe return arranged by local intermediaries. However, upon arrival, they were detained by the Border Guard Police and accused of having links to armed groups. Also, family members report that detainees are being held in poor conditions with limited food or medical aid. Tragically, two children have died from diarrhea and others remain critically ill. Community members fear that more lives will be lost unless urgent humanitarian intervention is made.
Therefore, it urges international human rights bodies, media, and justice advocates to investigate these violations, expose the propaganda, and hold the Arakan Army accountable for its crimes against the Rohingya persecuted population.
