Conflict

13 Jan 2025

Opinion

Arakan Army’s Victory 2.0 in Myanmar: A New Order for Rakhine?

On 21 December 2024, the Arakan Army (AA) seized the Myanmar military’s Western Command in Ann Township in Rakhine State. The Western Command was the military’s second regional command to fall into the Ethnic Armed Organisation’s (EAO) hands in 2024. The Myanmar military lost the Northeastern Command in Lashio to the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in August 2024.

More Conflict Near the Kaladan Transport Project

Following ‘Operation 1027,’ clashes have resumed in Rakhine State, where the Arakan Army (AA) has seized control of at least 46 SAC military outposts. Significantly, nearly 40 of these SAC outposts were secured by the AA following SAC forces’ withdrawal from their positions.

Nationwide Conflict and the Contest for Dominance

Since the coup, no less than 221 townships (67 per cent of the total) have experienced at least 12,238 armed clashes. Delving into the regional dynamics, Karenni area, Chin State and Tanintharyi Region experienced armed conflicts in all of their townships while in Sagaing and Mandalay Regions, conflicts erupted in 34 out of 37 and 25 out of 28 townships respectively.