Border News Agency
Maungdaw, September 19.

The Arakan Army (AA) announced today, September 19, that Islamist extremist groups have been spreading propaganda and inciting activities along the Arakan-Bangladesh border under AA control, as well as in certain areas of Maungdaw District.

According to the AA, these Islamist extremist groups are taking advantage of the fact that the AA has not yet been able to fully enforce public security. It stated that these groups are operating from bases inside Bangladesh.

The AA further said that these groups are exploiting the situation to infiltrate Maungdaw District in Arakan through routes along the Naf River and the Mayu mountain range.

According to reports, the extremist groups infiltrating Maungdaw District through border areas have been targeting non-Muslim local residents in recent days. They have been ambushing, abducting, and killing people who go into remote forests and hills, or travel through isolated areas to forage, gather firewood, or go shopping.

The AA stated that these Islamist extremist groups are also staging fake battles, making them appear as if they are intense clashes with the AA, in an attempt to spread propaganda and rally more support for their cause.

The AA further stated that these extremist groups have been abducting and killing local Arakanese civilians they encounter in remote forests and isolated areas. After murdering them, the extremists reportedly change into AA uniforms and stage fake scenarios to make it appear as though AA members were captured during clashes. These staged incidents are then circulated on social media with the aim of spreading misinformation and gaining more support and resources for the Islamist extremist groups.

The AA warned that the violent activities of these groups are threatening the lives, homes, and property of innocent Arakanese civilians living in the Arakan-Bangladesh border region, making this a critical time for heightened security awareness.

Therefore, the AA has urged Arakanese civilians living in the Arakan-Bangladesh border region to avoid traveling alone or in small groups, especially through forests and isolated areas.

For health-related matters or other urgent needs that require travel, the AA advised civilians to first inform the nearest administrative or security units of the Arakan People’s Revolutionary Government before making the journey, to ensure their safety.

The ULA/AA stated that it will intensify security measures across Arakan to prevent and eliminate illegal activities and violent extremist operations carried out by Islamist extremist groups that have been infiltrating through the border and brutally killing local Arakanese civilians.

Therefore, the ULA/AA urged all Arakanese citizens living in the Arakan-Bangladesh border region to actively cooperate and work together with them to ensure security and stability.