Inside the Lines - Armed Group News
Biweekly Reports on Armed Group Activities in the Camps and Arakan. Issue No 1
Welcome to the first issue of Inside the Lines, a biweekly report dedicated to tracking and contextualising news, media, and statements from various armed groups operating in the Rohingya camps of Bangladesh and in Arakan (Rakhine State). These reports will include audio, video, and images shared by the groups themselves, along with analysis where possible to provide much-needed context.
As armed groups continue to influence developments on both sides of the border, understanding their narratives, statements, and movements is important for anyone following the Rohingya crisis and regional dynamics. I aim to provide reliable information from direct sources, balancing what is being said with the reality on the ground.
In this first issue, released today, I cover several significant developments:
Ataullah of ARSA makes surprising statements in an audio release issued on 15 December.
A new group, ANDF, Arakan National Defence Force, has surfaced, releasing a video on 11 December.
A secret meeting between various armed groups took place on 16 December in Bangladesh.
The Arakan Army has issued statements and released videos related to Rohingya armed groups on 8th and 10th December.
ULA/AA Video and Statements
We begin with a video and a statement released by the United League of Arakan (ULA/AA). On 8 December 2024, the ULA/AA announced the suspension of all river transportation on the Naf River (Rakhine side) due to military necessities and public security concerns.
At 9:30 AM on the same day, the Arakan Army reported that it had successfully captured and neutralised the final outpost of the Myanmar military junta's Border Guard Police Division (Nakhakha-5) in the Maungdaw region of Rakhine State.
The statement accused armed members of the junta and their allied militant groups, including RSO, ARSA, and ARA of fleeing the area while engaging in ambushes and criminal activities. The ULA/AA further claimed these forces were attempting to escape across the Bangladesh-Arakan border via the Naf River using motorboats and canoes.
On 10 December, the Arakan Army released a video showing junta and allied Rohingya forces surrendering after the fall of Nakhakha-5.
The siege of this post was prolonged, beginning in late May, with the Myanmar junta’s air force carrying out constant bombardment of Maungdaw, ultimately driving out the last remaining civilians.
A BBC report by Jonathan Head described the situation:
“(Junta) planes dropped supplies to the besieged soldiers at night, but it was never enough. They had plenty of rice stored in the bunkers, a local source told us, but they could not get any treatment for their injuries, and the soldiers became demoralised. They started to surrender last weekend.”
Supporting this, a video uploaded in November by a junta soldier revealed the desperation within their ranks. In the footage, the soldier explained that they had been stranded in Maungdaw since 4 August, with their entire squad wiped out, leaving only a few survivors. He criticised their commander for failing to help and pleaded for the video to be shared on social media to raise awareness and appeal for assistance. The soldiers were seen stranded, without food or supplies, unable to escape their dire situation.
The Irrawaddy reported on 9 December that Rakhine media claimed the Arakan Army (AA) had arrested Brigadier General Thurein Tun, the commander of Military Operation Command 15, along with regime troops and approximately 80 Rohingya insurgents, following the battle for Maungdaw.
Naturally, questions arise about the organisational affiliations of the 80 arrested Rohingya soldiers. Determining this is not straightforward. Ataullah, the leader of ARSA, addresses his organisation's stance on this matter in his audio message released on 15 December. But his most interesting statements concern some other issues.