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Arakan Army is Born
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On This day in Arakan History April 10, 2009
April 10, 2009, marks the most significant milestone in the modern history of Arakanese resistance: the founding of the Arakan Army (AA). Established in Laiza, Kachin State, by a small group of 26 patriotic youths led by Twan Mrat Naing, the AA was born far from its homeland but with a singular focus on returning to liberate it. This date represents the transition from fragmented, older insurgencies to a highly disciplined, technologically savvy, and ideologically unified force.
The AA's philosophy, "The Way of Rakhita," was conceptualized to restore the sovereignty once lost in 1784, moving beyond simple rebellion toward a comprehensive vision of national state-building.
The initial years were defined by "strategic patience," as the AA trained under the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) to build the military competence necessary for a modern war.
By 2014, the force began its daring return to the Arakanese heartland, a move that would eventually dismantle the central military's administrative grip. Today, the AA—now increasingly referred to as the Arakkha Army to reflect its inclusive representation of all people in the state—is the dominant authority in the region. April 10th is celebrated not just as a military anniversary, but as the birth of the "Arakan Dream," a day that fundamentally changed the power balance between the central state and the people of Arakan.