In the Maungdaw district, non-Muslim minority communities are facing ethnic cleansing

News

Global Arakan Network September 23, 2025

Mro Ethnic Woman with Her Babies (photocrd)

In northern, particularly in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, non-Muslim ethnic groups are enduring violent ethnic cleansing by armed terrorist Muslim groups, according to an exclusive interview with General Twan Mrat Naing, Commander-in-Chief of the Arakan Army, conducted by the Irrawaddy News on September 22.

General Twan Mrat Naing further stated that the non-Muslim ethnic groups include those who follow Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism, such as the Rakhine, Hindu, Mro, Kaman, Daingnet, Thet, and Khami ethnicities, as well as non-religious ethnic communities.

“We are often portrayed one-sidedly in international media. In the Rakhine region, the international narrative heavily emphasizes that the Muslim community is the victim of genocide. However, in Buthidaung and Maungdaw, it is the non-Muslim ethnic groups who are primarily facing genocide. By non-Muslims, I mean groups including Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and even non-religious ethnic communities,” General Twan Mrat Naing said.

He pointed out that due to fear of arrests and killings by armed terrorist Muslim groups, these ethnic communities have been fleeing, and their population in the region has dwindled to about 0.4 percent.

“They make up only about 0.4 percent now. Previously, they accounted for around 10 percent. Gradually, their numbers have decreased, and they no longer dare to stay. Many have fled, and some have been killed. For example, recently, Bangladeshi authorities summoned insurgents for a meeting, pressuring them to infiltrate. Last night, there was fighting,” he said.

He also noted that armed terrorist Muslim groups dress the people they kill in Arakan Army uniforms or equipment to stage fake battles, claiming these incidents as clashes with the Arakan Army in the media.

ULA Officials Participating in Mro Ethnic Conference in Maungdaw (photocrd)

“As soon as their groups infiltrate, they kill people they encounter at the border. After killing them, they dress the bodies in Arakan Army uniforms or equipment and report in the media that a battle with the Arakan Army occurred,” he said.

Currently, intense clashes are ongoing between the Arakan Army and armed terrorist Muslim groups infiltrating from the Bangladesh border along Milepost-42 in northern Maungdaw township, near the Rakhine-Bangladesh border, according to investigations.

On September 16, two Mro men from Done Nyo (Mro) village in Maungdaw township, who had gone to cut bamboo, were captured and killed by armed terrorist Muslim groups. Additionally, one villager from Done Nyo remains missing, according to local residents.

In the third week of September, five individuals—four men and one woman—who were merchants from Tamansar village in northern Maungdaw township, were killed by the ARSA group near Inchaung village on the Bangladesh border while shopping, according to locals.

On March 30 of this year, four civilians from Khami villages such as Guppi, Lower Gandru, Ovro, and Myawaddy in Buthidaung township were also captured and killed by the armed terrorist Muslim group ARSA.

On August 24-25, 2017, over 100 Hindus from Khamaung Seik village in northern Maungdaw township were subjected to mass ethnic cleansing by the armed terrorist Muslim group ARSA.

Hindus Community Celebrating Anniversary of over 100 Hindus (photocrd)

Non-Muslim residents of Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, who live in forested and mountainous areas, rely on activities such as gathering vegetables, fishing, cutting bamboo, logging, and working on farms, plantations, or islands for their livelihoods. These locals frequently face arrests, torture, and killings by Muslim terrorist groups.

As a result, non-Muslim ethnic communities, overwhelmed by the killings perpetrated by armed Muslim terrorist groups, no longer feel safe in their villages in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships and are noticeably relocating to other areas.

According to official reports from the ULA, from November 2023 to July 2025, at least 34 civilians have been killed, 6 injured, and 24 arrested in the northern townships of Arakan.

Credit to the original sources