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Arakan Civil Society Forum Unveils Independent Report Debunking Disinformation on Htan Shauk Khan by Diaspora Bangagya Activists and Others
- globalarakannetwork
- Sep 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 27
Report Release
Global Arakan Network September 26, 2025
This independent investigation report by the Arakan Civil Society Forum (dated September 25, 2025) critically examines allegations of a massacre involving 600 Muslim civilians in Htan Shauk Khan village, Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar, purportedly committed by the Arakan Army (AA) on May 2, 2024.
The inquiry, based on firsthand interviews, demographic data, and field verification, challenges the claims of mass civilian casualties and instead highlights a complex armed clash between the Myanmar military junta, its Muslim conscripts, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), and the Arakan Army.
The report is structured around three core themes: life under Myanmar’s military junta, the May 3-4, 2024 armed conflict in Htan Shauk Khan, and the post-conflict displacement of villagers. It documents oppressive military rule characterized by forced labor, arbitrary fines, travel restrictions, and economic exploitation imposed on villagers long before the conflict erupted.
The investigation found that the intense clashes resulted primarily in military casualties—around 100 deaths, including junta soldiers, Muslim conscripts, and ARSA fighters—with only two civilian deaths confirmed. The village was left destroyed by artillery and airstrikes, forcing nearly 800 villagers to seek refuge in nearby villages and over 100 to flee to Bangladesh. These figures starkly contrast with the alleged massacre of 600 civilians cited by some international media and UN reports.
The report also scrutinizes media narratives and witness testimonies, revealing discrepancies, including the presence of a self-claimed survivor who was found not to be a native of the village and had been living in Bangladesh since 2017.
The investigation calls into question the credibility of reports alleging mass civilian killings and urges United Nations Human Rights bodies to conduct comprehensive, impartial reviews, emphasizing the need to prevent misinformation that could jeopardize communal harmony between Rakhine and Muslim communities.
Highlights of the report are as the followings;
1) Independent investigation refutes claims of 600 civilian massacre in Htan Shauk Khan village.
2) Armed clashes (May 3-4, 2024) primarily resulted in military casualties, not mass civilian deaths.
3) Village destroyed by artillery shelling and airstrikes, leading to mass displacement of nearly 900 villagers.
4) Verified displacement and census data contradict allegations of large-scale civilian massacre.
5) Witness testimonies emphasize oppressive conditions under Myanmar military junta before the clashes.
6) Media narratives and some UN reports questioned for lack of credible, systematic verification.
7) Report calls for caution against misinformation to preserve inter-communal trust and peace.
Full report can be downloaded below:
