01 Jun 2020 | 04:49 PM UTC
Myanmar: Police officers killed and captured in Arakan Army attack in Rakhine State May 29
Authorities confirm four police officers killed and six others captured in Arakan Army (AA) attack in Rakhine State on May 29; further security operations are likely in the near term
Event
On Sunday, May 31, authorities stated that four police officers had been killed and six others captured in an Arakan Army (AA) attack on a police outpost in Rakhine State on Friday, May 29. The attack on the outpost in Tha Zin Mying village (Rathedaung township) came at dawn, with the police reportedly fighting a large number of AA fighters for three hours before withdrawing. Three civilians were also allegedly captured during the assault on the outpost by the rebels. An AA spokesperson stated that the attack came in retaliation for a Myanmar armed forces (Tatmadaw) raid on an AA encampment in Paletwa township (Chin State) on May 24.
Further security operations in the vicinity of Tha Zin Mying are likely in the near term, as the Tatmadaw attempt to retake the area from the AA.
Context
Violence resumed in early December 2018 between Rakhine separatists and the military. The Arakan Army seeks greater autonomy for Buddhists in Rakhine state. According to the Myanmar office of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), about 7500 displaced people are scattered across 29 sites in Rakhine due to the violence and 730,000 people in neighboring Bangladesh.
Advice
Individuals in Rakhine state are advised to avoid the area, remain vigilant for militant activity, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities and their home governments.
