MYANMAR: As it fights insurrection across the nation, an ethnic armed group in the western Myanmar state of Rakhine said that it has taken control of a town that borders Bangladesh and India. This is the military government’s most recent setback.
Several military outposts and towns have been taken over by allied anti-junta factions supported by a parallel administration advocating for democracy in Myanmar, which is experiencing a multifaceted insurgency. This is the largest test the junta has seen since overthrowing an elected government in 2021.
The Arakan Army (AA), according to a spokesman, declared late on Sunday that it had taken control of Paletwa, a port town on the Kaladan River that is essential to commerce with nearby nations.
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A spokesperson for AA, Khine Thu Kha, stated in a statement, “We will cooperate at our best with neighboring countries regarding border stability issues.” The group also added that they will take over law enforcement and administration in the area.
A request for comment from a junta official was not answered. The AA’s assertion could not be independently confirmed by Reuters.
Following the capture of Laukkai town by a different rebel faction under the Three Brotherhood Alliance in northern Shan State near the Chinese border, Paletwa in the west fell.
