In what survivors are calling a campaign of ethnic persecution, the Arakan Army (AA) has intensified its takeover of Rohingya-owned properties in northern Rakhine, particularly in Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships. Local sources and witnesses say AA soldiers are forcibly seizing land, homes, and shops—branding entire Rohingya families as sympathizers of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) without evidence.
In the Kayin Htan Quarter of Maungdaw Township, red signboards marked “confiscated” have appeared on dozens of houses in recent days. Witnesses told Rohingya Vision News that AA troops returned last week to demarcate more homes after previously raiding and looting properties in the area.
“They don’t care if we are innocent or not. If you are Rohingya, that’s enough for them to take your house, accuse you, or worse—kill you,” said a Rohingya businessman who recently fled Buthidaung.
“I Lost My Entire Family to the AA”
The brutality of the property seizures came to light with the case of 83-year-old Hossain Shorif, who fled from Gudam Para village in Buthidaung to Bangladesh on June 10, 2025. His testimony, now recorded by human rights monitors, paints a horrifying picture of collective punishment and lethal force.
“They accused us of feeding ARSA. We didn’t. We were scared of both sides. But the AA gave us no chance to explain,” Shorif said from a temporary shelter near Camp-5 in Mosora, Cox’s Bazar.
According to Shorif, his family of 15 was attacked in April 2025. Twelve of his family members were killed on the spot by AA forces. Among the deceased were his sons Ali Juhar, Ali Hossain, Joshim Ullah (a Class-10 graduate), and Rohim Ullah (Class-10 graduate), as well as his wife, Fatema Khatun, 60. The remaining victims were their children, Shorif added.
Only three members of the family—Hossain Shorif himself, and two daughters, Fatema Khatun and Rohima Khatun—survived the massacre. They were later rescued by fellow villagers and eventually managed to cross into Bangladesh, where they are now seeking protection.
The AA has frequently justified these actions by alleging that Rohingya property owners were affiliated with ARSA, a claim human rights defenders and residents say is often used to mask ethnic and political motives.
“When the AA entered Buthidaung, they took over almost everything owned by Rohingya. They said we had ties to ARSA. But some of us were victims of ARSA, not supporters,” said a shop owner who escaped in early June. “They just want to erase us from the land.”
A recent report by the Rvsion identifies a clear pattern of confiscations targeting small business owners, shopkeepers, and property holders—individuals most likely to resist displacement or speak out. Community observers believe this is part of a larger strategy to dispossess and depopulate Rohingya from the region under the guise of counterinsurgency.
No Response from the AA
Despite mounting evidence, the Arakan Army has yet to issue an official response to the reports of property seizures or extrajudicial killings. Its public communications have remained focused on its military advances against Myanmar’s junta and other groups, portraying itself as a defender of Rakhine nationalism.
“What’s happening is not merely collateral damage in a warzone. It is systematic ethnic cleansing by another name,” said Reyas
The ongoing abuse has sparked fresh calls for independent international monitoring missions to be deployed to northern Rakhine. Advocates urge the UN, ASEAN, and other multilateral bodies to move beyond statements and ensure on-ground verification, including access to the internally displaced, forensic investigations of property seizures, and accountability mechanisms.
Bangladesh authorities have also voiced concern. On June 19, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain, speaking from New York, called for renewed global attention and concrete action on the Rohingya crisis—especially amid fears that returning refugees could face renewed persecution not only from the junta but also from armed ethnic actors like the AA.
Rohingya Vision News
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