ARSA and the Reign of Terror

GAN, Arakan (Rakhine State)

Special Report November 27, 2024

b.     ARSA and the Reign of Terror 

The emergence of ARSA in 2016 marked another wave of radical Islamic terrorism in northern Arakan along the Bangladesh-Arakan border. The group, formerly known as Harakah al-Yaqin (Faith Movement) in Arabic, was led by Ataullah, who has strong connections to global jihadist networks in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Ataullah was raised in Mecca, where he received his Islamic education. In 2012, he returned to Pakistan for physical training and later joined a jihadist campaign in Kashmir. His journey continued through Hyderabad and Kolkata in India, eventually leading him to Bangladesh. With the help of a contact, Idrish Ali, he managed to enter Myanmar in 2016.

This story highlights the complex pathways through which individuals become involved in militant activities, showing the interconnectedness of various regions in South Asia and the role of personal networks in facilitating such movements. The ARSA's radical Islamic ideology became evident after the group massacred 99 Hindu villagers on August 25, 2017. The terrorist actions against the non-Muslim Hindu villagers can be seen as a classic example of radical religious extremism, akin to the actions of ISIS in the Middle East.

At 8 AM on August 25, 2017, a group of ARSA terrorists, dressed in black and ordinary clothing, abducted around 69 Hindu men, women, and children from the village of Ah Nauk Kha Maung Seik in Maungdaw township. The terrorists confiscated the families' mobile phones before ordering them into the courtyard, where other Hindu villagers were also being gathered. One of the ARSA terrorists shouted:

‘You and [ethnic] Rakhine are the same, you have a different religion, you can’t live here’.

The Hindu men were then separated from the women and children. Of the 69 victims, 53 were massacred, including 20 men, 10 women, and 23 children, 14 of whom were under the age of 8. Importantly, some women were spared after agreeing to convert to Islam and marry the ARSA terrorists. Additionally, 46 Hindus from the neighboring village of Ye Bauk Kyar were also massacred on the same day, cementing the collective memory of the killing of 99 Hindus on religious grounds.

The following day, August 26, the ARSA killed 6 Hindu villagers from Myo-Thu-Gree village near Maungdaw. Apart from the Hindus, the ARSA also killed members of other ethnic and religious groups in the area, including Arakanese, Mro, and Daingnet. Since that operation based on its religiously motivated actions, the ARSA's key goal might have been to establish a ‘Caliphate State’ in the style of ISIS in northern Arakan, aiming to eradicate all non-Muslim groups.

At the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) held in September 2019, Myanmar's permanent representative to the UN stated that the ARSA had radicalized local Muslim youths abroad and provided them with terrorist training. He expressed concerns about the links between the ARSA and international foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), including Al-Qaeda, ISIL, and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He added that the recent arrests of ARSA terrorist suspects linked to ISIL in Malaysia in May and July that year were indisputable evidence of their connections.

In August 2024, the ARSA leader sent messages to his followers in Chittagonian language through three video recordings released on Telegram. In these videos, he urged Muslim youths with radical Islamic rhetoric, emphasizing the need to sacrifice around 8,000 lives to eradicate all Arakanese Buddhists in the region. He further incited the youth to attack all non-Muslim infidels and declared a larger war against the Arakan Army (AA) and the Arakanese population.

Additionally, in another video released in late October, he threatened the lives of moderate Muslims who cooperate with the ULA/AA. He stated:

“To the Rohingya who are fighting in the Arakan Army, you have turned away from Islam, and you are no longer among Muslims. You still have time to repent to Allah and return to Islam…”

The radical Islamization of the ARSA leader in his political struggle is evident. He even instructed that those who assist the Arakan Army (AA) should not be buried in Muslim graveyards. He threatened;

“To the rest of the Rohingya community: do not bury those who are killed while fighting against us with the Arakan Army in a Muslim graveyard. Instead, bury them in Sitha Khala, the non-Muslim graveyard. According to Hadith and Quran, they are considered non-believers, and their burial should reflect that.”

Religion-based hate speech and acts of dehumanization by the ARSA leader and its members are frequent. Observers only need to imagine how radical Islamic doctrines are being instilled in its members during their militant training, given the context of their public speeches.

A local source commented on the recruitment strategy of the ARSA that when the ARSA members come to recruit new members in the village, they usually preached the Quran to justify why some should join and fight together with them.

Although both the RSO and ARSA are radical Islamic groups with the goal of eradicating non-Muslim believers in northern Arakan, they are also antagonistic toward one another. In early 2023, a report revealed that Ko Ko Linn of the RSO was recorded ordering the mass killing of ARSA members following the destruction of the Zero Point camp. His orders included denying funeral prayers for the slain. He instructed his followers:

“Kill them like the way you kill mosquitoes. Kill them like the way you kill insects, drag them from the shelters and kill them by stabbing them (ARSA members)”,

He added; 

“They don't deserve Islamic funeral prayers. They should not be given a funeral shroud. And, it would not be a sin to kill them, and those who do will be rewarded like martyrs by Allah on the Day of Resurrection.”

The rivalry between the ARSA and RSO, alongside their extremist ideologies, underscores the profound division and violence within the region. The ARSA leader’s statements in August 2024 further illustrate the dangerous sectarianism these groups foster. His accusations against the RSO members, calling them "Christians pretending as Muslims," are emblematic of the radical and intolerant mindset that these factions often promote. The threat of violence against members of rival groups and moderate Muslims emphasizes the internal violence and the growing extremism, which leaves little room for peaceful coexistence. This rhetoric also exacerbates the risks faced by the broader civilian population, particularly non-Muslim and moderate Muslim communities who are caught between these militant factions.

Note: This chapter is part of the report titled "Growing Extremist Activities of Islamic Jihadist Groups in Northern Arakan," authored by GAN. The remaining parts and chapters will follow.