With the armed resistance movement sweeping the country, the crisis facing the military government in Myanmar is becoming increasingly severe. On Saturday (December 21), a rebel army claimed to have occupied a major military headquarters in western Myanmar. This signifies the fall of the military government’s second regional command center.
According to Reuters, the Arakan Army (AA) announced on Friday night that after two weeks of intense fighting, they have taken over the western military command center bordering Rakhine State and Bangladesh.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since early 2021 when the military overthrew the civilian government, triggering widespread protests that evolved into armed uprisings against the military government.
The Arakan Army is a faction of the Three Brotherhood Alliance. This anti-government coalition launched offensives in October 2023 and achieved significant victories in border areas between Myanmar and China.
In August this year, the Three Brotherhood Alliance seized control of Lashio, a key town in northeastern Myanmar, marking the first time they gained control of a regional military command center from the military government.
Despite Rakhine State’s proximity to the Bay of Bengal and its natural gas reserves, as well as plans for an economic zone in Kyaukpyu to transport oil and gas to China through pipelines, it remains one of the poorest regions in Myanmar.
Rakhine State is also home to the Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim minority group in Myanmar. In November last year, a ceasefire agreement between the Rakhine State military and the military government collapsed, reigniting conflict. The rebel army subsequently achieved a series of victories in the ensuing battles.
Some Rohingya activists have accused the Arakan Army of targeting their community during offensives in northern Rakhine State, leading tens of thousands of Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh seeking refuge.
The Arakan Army has denied these allegations.