Arakan Review

Monthly Review | September 2026

Junta Air Strike Massacres Civilians in Kyauktaw’s Indian Market in Arakan

By:Center for Arakan Studies

September 2026 saw intensified fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army across Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Kyaukphyu and other fronts. The junta launched its so-called “Operation 4926,” using airstrikes, artillery, drones, naval forces and ground offensives, while the AA counterattacked and captured several junta outposts. Despite reported junta ...

Monthly Review | August 2026

ULA Expands Governance and Conducts Anti-Drug Measures in Arakan

By:Center for Arakan Studies

Throughout August 2026, the junta and AA engaged in intense conflict, with the regime relying on punitive airstrikes against civilians to compensate for ground losses, as acknowledged by the AA on August 6. The ULA/AA expanded governance by imposing curfews, banning underage motorcycle driving,...

Monthly Review | July 2026

Targeted Airstrikes and Catastrophic Floods Worsen Arakan's Humanitarian Crisis

By:Center for Arakan Studies

The ULA consolidated control across Arakan State in July 2026 through banking system establishment, business licensing, and renaming Minbya and Pauktaw to historic titles on July 29. The junta responded with relentless airstrikes killing at least 12 civilians and bombing a POW camp in Maungdaw that killed four detainees,...

Issue Brief

Issue Brief | October 2026

Risks Posed by Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War in Arakan: Long-Term Impacts and Protection Challenges

By:Center for Arakan Studies

The Ottawa Treaty, formally known as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, entered into force on 1 March 1999. It is one of the principal international legal instruments aimed at prohibiting the use of anti-personnel mines and reducing the humanitarian consequences of landmine...

Issue Brief | September 2026

Silent Victims of War and Transition: The Growing Vulnerability of the Elderly in Arakan

By:Center for Arakan Studies

Since the resumption of armed conflict in Rakhine State, restrictions on transportation, movement, and humanitarian aid have subjected the local population to severe hardships. Among the affected population, the elderly have emerged as one of the most vulnerable groups, suffering the most acute impacts. Under Myanmar's existing laws, an 'elderly person' is legally defined...

Issue Brief | September 2026

Charting the Future of a New Generation of Arakanese Youth Against a Backdrop of Military, Political, and Socioeconomic Crises

By:Center for Arakan Studies

Since the resumption of armed conflicts between the Arakan Army (AA) and the junta forces in Rakhine State, youths have borne the brunt of severe challenges and hardships. In particular, as the military junta suffered increasing losses of military personnel during the ongoing conflict, it enforced the Military Service Law and...