Arakan Army Commander-in-Chief Major General Twan Mrat Naing Arrives in Arakan

On This Day in Arakan History ၊ June 6, 2025

June 6, 2025, marks the day when Arakan Army (AA) Commander-in-Chief Major General Twan Mrat Naing returned to Arakan after more than 16 years in allied territories, arriving during the rainy season to set foot on his homeland for the first time since the AA's founding in 2009. In an exclusive interview with The Irrawaddy aired on September 20, 2025, he described the moment as deeply emotional: "It was memorable. I could feel the breeze from the sea when I set foot on my homeland. That's a sensation that's really special for us".

His return required years of preparation, including intensive training of special forces, and was planned with the knowledge that previous Rakhine revolutionary leaders had failed in similar homecoming attempts during the 1970s. For the Arakanese people, this date represented the culmination of their armed struggle—their leader returning not as a refugee but as the commander of a force that now controlled most of Rakhine State.

Meeting with the Mara Revolutionary Alliance after returning to Arakan (source@mtc)

The return of Twan Mrat Naing to Rakhine was historically unprecedented—he had commanded the AA from its temporary headquarters in Laiza, Kachin State, since the group's founding in 2009, leading the organization remotely through years of intense conflict. His homecoming came after the AA had captured approximately 70 to 80 percent of Rakhine State, including the ancient capital Mrauk-U, and had become one of Myanmar's most formidable ethnic armed organizations.

The return was not merely symbolic—it allowed direct oversight of AA operations at a critical juncture. Twan Mrat Naing noted that with headquarters previously far away, "there are some gaps on the ground, for example, in the discipline of our soldiers. Now we can supervise them more closely". His arrival coincided with the AA facing multiple challenges: fighting the military junta, confronting Muslim militant groups like ARSA and RSO along the Bangladesh border, managing relations with Bangladesh, and addressing international allegations of human rights abuses.

The meeting with Muslim community leaders in Maungdaw upon returning to Rakhine marked the first public display (source@arakanprincessmedia)

The June 6 return fundamentally transformed the AA's governance and strategic posture. Within months of his arrival, Twan Mrat Naing engaged directly with local communities—on August 30, 2025, he visited Maungdaw and reopened the Jameh Mosque, meeting with Muslim religious leaders to discuss citizenship, rights, and responsibilities.

He emphasized that in central Rakhine, "coexistence and trade between Muslims and Rakhine people is becoming a reality". In September 2025, he met with Kim Aris, son of Aung San Suu Kyi, expressing deep respect for her and concern for her health. The June 6, 2025 date thus stands as the moment when the AA's leadership returned to directly shape Rakhine State's future amid war, governance challenges, and international oversight.