Arakan Army claims control of town bordering Bangladesh, India
An ethnic armed group in Myanmar's Rakhine state the Arakan Army (AA) has claimed control over the town of Paletwa, situated on the Kaladan river near the borders with India and Bangladesh.
Myanmar is currently facing multiple insurgencies, with anti-junta groups supported by a pro-democracy parallel government seizing control of military posts and towns. The ongoing challenges pose a significant threat to the junta, marking its most substantial opposition since the 2021 coup against the elected government.
In a statement on Sunday, AA spokesperson Khine Thu Kha announced the conquest of Paletwa and expressed the group's commitment to cooperating with neighboring countries on border stability issues. The Arakan Army plans to assume control of administration and law enforcement in the area.
This recent development follows the takeover of Laukkai town in northern Shan State on the border with China by another rebel group in the Three Brotherhood Alliance. While the junta agreed to a ceasefire with the TNLA (Ta'ang National Liberation Army) in the region bordering China last week, the rebel alliance reported breaches of the ceasefire on Sunday.
According to the alliance, junta forces have initiated attacks in multiple townships in Shan State, indicating the fragile nature of the ceasefire agreement.
.png "Advertisement")
