Weekly Highlights of Arakan (3-9 November 2025)

By Admin 11 Nov 2025

In an era when daily news from Arakan is often fragmented and fast-changing, DMG's Weekly Highlights of Arakan brings clarity, depth, and context to the stories that matter most.

Each week, we round up key political, military, social, and humanitarian developments across Arakan State - connecting the dots between events and offering analysis to help audiences see the bigger picture.

This series is designed for readers and viewers seeking a concise yet comprehensive understanding of how ongoing conflict, governance shifts, and community issues continue to shape lives across Arakan.

■ 82 Muslims pardoned to mark birthday of AA chief Maj-Gen Twan Mrat Naing

The Arakan Army released 82 Muslims it had detained for alleged links to Myanmar's military regime and Muslim armed groups - the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) - to mark the birthday of AA chief Maj-Gen Twan Mrat Naing on 7 November.

The released detainees had been convicted of involvement with the military regime, ARSA, and RSO during the 2024 conflict. Most are said to be elderly and had attended military training with the regime before later joining the Arakan Army during the war.

On 7 November, the detainees were handed over to members of the Maungdaw District Muslim Affairs Council and district-level jury members, who subsequently released them to their families after they signed a pledge.

■ Junta attacks kill 16 civilians, injure 21 others across three townships

The Myanmar military has carried out air, artillery, and drone attacks in Minbya, Pauktaw, and Ponnagyun townships over the past week, killing 16 civilians - including a child - and injuring 21 others.

On 8 November, junta aircraft dropped two 500-pound bombs on Pauktaw town at around 2:30 p.m., accompanied by machine-gun fire, killing four civilians and injuring one.

The following day, two 500-pound bombs were dropped near a school in Kyaukphanchay Village, Ponnagyun Township, near the Ponnagyun-Rathedaung border, killing two civilians and injuring two more.

A junta jet also dropped a 500-pound bomb on Myothit Ward at around 8 p.m. on 7 November, killing five civilians - including a child - and wounding nine others.

Earlier that day, Light Infantry Battalion No. 344 fired 120mm artillery shells at Kuntaung Village, injuring a 55-year-old man. A junta kamikaze drone also bombed Aungphyupyin Village in Ponnagyun Township, injuring a woman.

The Arakan Army has warned civilians to remain alert to possible air and naval attacks as the regime continues to target AA-controlled areas in Arakan State.

■ ULA begins vaccinating children under two in AA-controlled areas

The Department of Public Health under the United League of Arakan (ULA) has launched vaccination campaigns for children under the age of two in areas controlled by the Arakan Army, including Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw townships.

Vaccines administered include those for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Japanese encephalitis (JE), diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT), polio (OPV), and congenital glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD).

According to the department, children are routinely immunised against 12 diseases - including tuberculosis, hepatitis B, polio, diarrhoea, and measles - following an age-specific vaccination schedule from two months to 10 years.

Since renewed fighting erupted in Arakan State in November 2023, the military regime has restricted land and sea transport, leading to medicine shortages and interruptions to vaccination programmes. Parents have expressed concern about their children's health and development amid the suspension of routine immunisations previously provided free of charge by the government and international organisations.

■ Regime launches major offensive on AA-controlled hilltop base in Kyaukphyu

Myanmar's military regime is conducting a large-scale offensive with hundreds of troops against an Arakan Army-held hilltop base near Thaingchaung Village in Kyaukphyu Township, with fighting reportedly intensifying.

The regime has conducted naval, air, and drone operations for more than 10 days to retake the base and has now launched a full-scale ground assault.

The Arakan Army's control of the position poses a threat to the junta's No. 32 Police Battalion and Kyaukphyu town, prompting the military to escalate its campaign.

The AA has been active in Kyaukphyu for about nine months, capturing and retreating from various positions amid escalating clashes. It previously seized areas near Chinese-backed projects about six miles from Kyaukphyu town but has since withdrawn to positions roughly 14 miles away.

With fighting in northern Shan State largely concluded, the regime is now intensifying operations in Arakan State with expanded ground, air, and naval assaults to reclaim territory from the AA.

■ ARSA kills cattle herder in Maungdaw Twsp

A man from Ngwetaung Village in Maungdaw Township was killed by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) while herding cattle on 7 November, according to local residents.

The victim, identified as U Shwe Thein, 36, was reportedly attacked by ARSA members at the foot of the Mayu Mountains that morning.

On 24 October, three villagers - including a young woman herding cattle near Kin Chaung Village - were abducted by ARSA and remain missing. Two days earlier, on 22 October, ARSA ambushed a passenger vehicle travelling from Cedipyin Village in Rathedaung Township to Kyaukpandu Village in Maungdaw Township, killing one woman and injuring two men.

Muslim armed groups are reportedly infiltrating Maungdaw District from across the Bangladesh border, threatening local security. Residents from about nine villages have fled their homes, and the Arakan Army is reportedly conducting clearance operations while urging civilians to exercise caution in their movements.

■ Continuous rains threaten winter crops across Arakan State

Continuous rains since 2 November have damaged winter crop fields across Arakan State, according to farmers.

This period marks the main planting season for groundnuts, corn, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and watermelons, but flooding has damaged large areas of farmland.

Farmers in Kyauktaw Township - a key winter crop producer - said fields of beans, chilies, corn, cabbage, eggplant, potatoes, and watermelons have been affected. In Laymyochaung Village, Mrauk-U Township, peanut crops are suffering from mould and insect damage.

Farmers have called on the United League of Arakan for assistance, warning that reduced yields could threaten food security. Arakan State, which typically cultivates over 542,000 acres of winter crops, has already seen a decline in planting this season.