Arakan Army takes control of Rathedaung in Rakhine state

Insurgent group Arakan Army has taken control of Rathedaung township in Rakhine state, driving out the Junta soldiers. After fierce fighting of two weeks, around 200 Junta soldiers managed to flee on Sunday night.

Irrawaddy, a news outlet of Myanmar journalists living in exile, confirmed the news that Rathedaung township fell to the Arakan Army. US-based radio ‘Radio Free Asia’ also confirmed the news.

Referring to sources of Arakan Army, the Irrawaddy reported that Junta soldiers had been using Rohingyas who were conscripted as human shields to hold out the area of their control. Three junta battalions stationed in Rathedaung with around two hundred survivors fled via vessels.

Meanwhile, Prothom Alo’s Teknaf correspondent referring to local sources said Arakan Army attacked the Border Guard Police (BGP) sector at Nakpura area near Bangladesh border on Sunday evening.