Arakan Army grants amnesty to 67 detainees in Maungdaw including POWs and ARSA-linked individuals

By Admin 19 Apr 2026

DMG Newsroom

19 April 2026, Maungdaw

The Arakan Army (AA) granted amnesty to 67 detainees, including prisoners of war captured during fighting and individuals linked to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, on April 17 to mark the Myanmar New Year.

Those released include 35 prisoners of war, three individuals associated with the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, four people involved in arms and ammunition smuggling, and 25 others detained for various offenses.

An official from an Arakan Army detention facility said that prisoners of war captured during the conflict are held in accordance with the laws of war and released on humanitarian grounds.

“We provide proper care and detention in accordance with the law for all prisoners of war captured during battles in Arakan State, as well as other detainees held for various crimes. We grant amnesty to these prisoners annually on significant holidays on humanitarian grounds,” the official said.

Sources close to the detention camps said that more than 30 Muslims were among those released.

On April 10, to mark the 17th anniversary of the Arakan Army’s founding, 21 prisoners of war captured during the Paletwa fighting were released, following the release of 30 detainees on March 4.

Military observers in Arakan State said the Arakan Army has consistently released prisoners of war on humanitarian grounds.

“We have seen the Arakan Army increasingly releasing prisoners of war and their family members in Arakan State this year. This reflects its humanitarian approach. While the regime is killing its own members through aerial attacks, the Arakan Army’s actions demonstrate its humanitarian stance,” a military observer said.

Meanwhile, the regime has carried out airstrikes on detention sites where prisoners of war and their family members are being held.

Thousands of prisoners of war and their family members are currently being detained by the Arakan Army amid the latest fighting in Arakan State. According to data compiled by DMG, more than 2,000 individuals have been released by the Arakan Army between 2024 and 2026.