| Arakan Army | |
|---|---|
| ရခိုင့်တပ်တော် | |
 | |
Leader | Colonel Min Tun |
| Dates active | 2010 (2010) – present |
| Headquarters | Mobile headquarters |
| Active regions | Kayin State; Rakhine State |
| Ideology | Rakhine nationalism |
| Size | 350+[1] |
| Part of | Arakan National Council, United Nationalities Federal Council |
| Wars | the internal conflict in Myanmar |
The Arakan Army (Kayin State) (Burmese: ရခိုင့်တပ်တော်) (AA-K) is a Rakhine insurgent group based in Kayin State, Myanmar.[1]
Background
On 23 June 2020, Thai authorities raided a house in the border town of Mae Sot (close to Kayin State), seizing a large stash of newly manufactured weapons originating from China. Members of a local armed group on the Burmese side of the border told The Irrawaddy that the weapons were likely being smuggled to the Arakan Army and "Indian rebels" because "they pay good prices".[2]
On 7 May, 2021, after the 2021 Myanmar coup, AA-K leader Min Tun announced that the militia had joined anti-Tatmadaw resistance, capturing the Oo Thu Hta military base alongside the Karen National Liberation Army.[3]
Objectives
The Arakan Army's self-proclaimed objectives are as follows:
- To gain the right to self-determination for the ethnic groups of Rakhine State.
- To safeguard the national identity and cultural heritage of the Rakhine people.
- To promote the national dignity and interests of the Rakhine people.
- To liberate every citizen and ethnic group of Myanmar from the Burmese dictatorship.
- To ensure peace and development for all of humanity.[4][5]
References
- "AA (Karen Region)". Archived from the original on 7 January 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- "Chinese-Made Arms Due for Myanmar Seized on Thai Border". The Irrawaddy. 24 June 2020. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- "Rakhine nationalist group joins KNU in fight against military". Myanmar Now. 8 May 2021.
- "Myanmar (Burma): Extremism and Terrorism". Counter Extremism Project. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
- Burmese, R. F. A. (4 March 2024). "Arakan Army vows to fight for total control of Myanmar's Rakhine state". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 5 January 2026.