New Muslim armed group emerges in Arakan State

By Admin 13 Dec 2024

DMG Newsroom
13 December 2024, Maungdaw

A new Muslim armed group has reportedly emerged following the Arakkha Army’s (AA) capture of Maungdaw Town on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border.

A video file circulating on social media appears to show that a Muslim group calling itself the Arakan National Defence Force (ANDF) has been formed to fight the AA.

In the video, an ANDF member states, “We are in Arakan State. We have a lot of work to do,” implying they will fight against the AA.

Members of Muslim communities told DMG that ANDF has around 50 members. It was formed in October and led by former Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) leader Dr. Enik.

A prominent figure in the Muslim community, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said that the ANDF troops are currently undergoing military training provided by the regime in Sittwe.

DMG was unable to obtain comment from Arakan State military council spokesman U Hla Thein.

In battles in Rathedaung, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, the regime collaborated with Muslim armed groups such as the RSO, Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA), as well as deploying Muslim conscripts, to resist AA offensives, but the junta forces were ultimately defeated.

An Arakan military analyst commented: “In Arakan State, Muslims mainly live in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Rathedaung. After the AA captured all those towns, Sittwe is the nearest town still controlled by the regime. Arakanese villagers have fled Sittwe, but Muslim villagers remain. So, we can assume that the regime will create a new Muslim group to resist the AA’s attacks like it has done before.”

However, analysts believe that the ANDF, essentially a small splinter group of the RSO, is not in a position to realistically fight the AA, and is only likely to be used by the regime for propaganda purposes.

An 88 Generation Arakan student leader remarked: “The AA has achieved significant success and is already militarily mature. Their claim in the video to defeat the AA is no more than a pipedream.”

Muslim armed groups are based in the Mayu Mountains in Maungdaw District and along the Bangladesh border. They have engaged in clashes with the AA and have been involved in abducting and killing locals and torching homes.

They are not popular among Muslim communities in Arakan State or neighbouring Bangladesh as they also abduct and kill Muslim refugees in the latter.

A Muslim refugee from the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh said: “Those groups have killed around 500 refugees including prominent Rohingya leader Mohad Budhla, faith leaders, teachers, students and refugees at the camp. They are just drug traffickers and criminals.”

The AA has captured 11 of 17 townships in Arakan as well as Paletwa Township in Chin State. Fighting has been raging in Ann, Taungup and Gwa, with the regime now only controlling Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung towns.