August 19, 2024

The Arakan Army (AA) issued a statement on the evening of August 18, 2024, regarding the recent capture of Maungdaw town and the fires that destroyed several homes in the area. The statement follows the intense fighting that occurred on August 15, including the burning of residential buildings.

In their statement, the AA emphasized that they had notified the residents of Maungdaw to evacuate to safer areas as early as June 16. They reported that their operations to capture Maungdaw began on August 4, targeting military camps in the northern part of the town, particularly the Hori Tula and Maung Ni camps. According to the AA, the junta forces had not only prevented residents from evacuating but also allowed some members of militant groups like ARSA, RSO, and ARA to remain in the town.

The AA claimed that since the beginning of their operations, they have successfully evacuated approximately 20,000 people, including international organization staff and their families, who had been trapped in the town. They are continuing efforts to evacuate more people.

On August 15, at around 4:00 p.m., a confrontation occurred near the No. 2 High School in Maungdaw’s Ward 2 between AA forces and Muslim militants who had undergone extremist training under the junta. The clash lasted for about 40 minutes, during which the militants allegedly set fire to their own encampment before fleeing, resulting in the destruction of five homes in addition to the building they occupied.

The AA reported recovering the bodies of two Muslim militants and seizing weapons following the incident. The AA warned that misinformation and false reports about the ongoing conflict could harm the harmony between the ethnic groups in the Arakan region.