Myanmar’s military junta chief senior general Min Aung Hlaing has accused the Arakan Army (AA) leaders of causing harm to their people.

In a speech delivered on 5 July last, while addressing the national security council, Min Aung Hlaing stated that on 13 November 2023, the AA fighters raided and attacked the Done Pike border guard outpost in Arakan State to create instability.

“They later attacked the military camps and bases responsible for the local security disrupting the socio-economic structure, education and health of local people. As a result, the residents fled to Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and other cities. Towns in both northern and southern Arakan are facing heavy attacks. As 90 percent Arakanese live in Arakan, the AA actions are harming their own people,” he added,

Despite these accusations, the AA remains an ethnic armed organization with significant public support in the Arakan region. Various analysts note that the AA is one of the important armed resistance groups in Myanmar with momentous public sympathies.

Till date, the AA fighters have occupied eight townships of Arakan State along with the Paletwa region. They are maintaining attacks on Maung Shwe Lay naval base while holding Thandwe, a district-level town in southern Arakan State, and they are preparing to bring the township under their control.

Additionally, the AA has taken over all border guard stations in Maungdaw and has been intensifying its offensive to capture Maungdaw and other remaining stations including the 5th border guard police battalion (NaKhaKha-5).

Even though the AA fighters continue capturing junta camps and towns in Arakan State, the junta chief Min Aung Hlaing claimed that the military junta will collaborate with the people to restore peace and stability in the region.