By Arakan Journal Staff – September 30, 2026
MAUNGDAW, Arakan (Rakhine State) – Fighting between the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and the Arakan Army (AA) was reported near Milepost 56 in northern Maungdaw Township, with local sources saying the engagement began after an attack on an AA outpost.
According to the Development Media Group (DMG), the fighting began at about 8 p.m. on September 25, 2026. A military source told DMG that ARSA members had attacked an AA position in the area.
“Clashes are taking place with ARSA in northern Maungdaw Township,” the source said, adding that AA forces were conducting area-clearing operations.
DMG said it was continuing to gather information about the situation on the ground. The report did not provide independently verified figures for casualties or arrests resulting from the fighting.
Military sources and analysts cited by DMG have previously reported the presence of several Rohingya resistance groups, including ARSA, the Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA), and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), in areas of Arakan (Rakhine State) near the Bangladesh border. They have accused these groups of conducting attacks against AA positions. As well as other acts of violence. Such allegations could not be independently verified by Arakan Journal.
The renewed fighting comes amid continuing conflict between the AA and Myanmar military forces around Sittwe. An analyst quoted by DMG suggested that ARSA’s renewed activity in northern Maungdaw could be connected to developments on the Sittwe front. The analyst also alleged earlier coordination between ARSA and Myanmar military forces against the AA. Those claims remain allegations and were not independently established in the report.
The AA introduced a nighttime curfew in Maungdaw District on August 9, running from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., amid reported security concerns involving armed groups. The measure was accompanied by increased security patrols, according to DMG. (Burma News International)
Meanwhile, reports of ARSA movements in the Mountain Range have prompted some local communities to organize rotating night watches, according to DMG. The development comes as fighting continues elsewhere in Arakan (Rakhine State) and concerns remain over security in rural areas.
The latest incident is reported near an area where fighting involving ARSA has previously been reported. In October 2025, BNI reported that AA troops had found the bodies of six residents near the Bangladesh border after alleged abductions and killings attributed to ARSA. Those earlier allegations were also based on local and AA sources. (Burma News International)
Source: Development Media (DMG), via Burma News International (BNI), September 26-28, 2026.
Editor’s note: Arakan Journal has not independently verified the identities of the forces involved, casualty figures, or allegations of coordination between ARSA and Myanmar military forces.
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