Myanmar Conflict Escalates: 5,000 Buddhist and Hindu homes burned in Rakhine, rebel group captures Buthidaung

The conflict in Myanmar continues to escalate, with the military-led Junta army and ethnic rebel groups clashing fiercely, particularly in Rakhine State. Recent violence has taken on a communal dimension, with reports indicating that nearly 5,000 houses belonging to Buddhists and Hindus were destroyed in Buthidaung, a town close to the Bangladesh border.

According to sources, these homes were explicitly targeted due to their owners’ religious affiliations. Most residents had fled to safer areas, leaving their houses empty, but those who remained were forcibly removed, and their properties were looted and set on fire in front of them. The perpetrators are believed to include conscripts from Rohingya camps in Bangladesh.

This destruction occurred between April 11 and 21, leaving Buthidaung under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic rebel group. Reports suggest that local Muslims in Buthidaung and the nearby Maungdaw township have primarily refrained from supporting the communal violence and have, in some cases, sought assistance from ethnic rebels to relocate to safer zones.

Buthidaung, which had around 3,000 houses in the 2018 census, saw its population swell to 10,000 as people fleeing violence in other areas settled there. The town’s demographics comprise over 50% Muslims, with the rest being Buddhists and Hindus.

The ethnic and communal tensions in Rakhine State are not new, having previously flared over a decade ago. This led to a massive exodus of Rohingya people, many of whom sought refuge in Bangladesh. Currently, there are about one million Rohingyas in Bangladesh living in refugee camps under challenging conditions.

The AA, a powerful armed group in Myanmar, announced on May 19 that it had seized control of Buthidaung after weeks of intense fighting. AA spokesperson Khine Thu Kha confirmed that their forces had taken over all military bases in the town. This marks another significant defeat for the Junta, which faces opposition on multiple fronts across the country.

“We have conquered all the bases in Buthidaung and also took over the town yesterday,” Khine Thu Kha told media. However, the AA denies accusations from some Rohingya activists that its troops targeted the Muslim-minority community during the offensive.

Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition advocacy group, alleged that AA troops forced residents to leave their homes and then set them ablaze. “While the town was burning, I spoke with several people I have known and trusted for years. They all testified that the arson attack was done by the AA,” he said.

These claims could not be independently verified, and a junta spokesperson did not respond to calls for comment.

Rohingya have faced persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for decades, particularly since a military-led crackdown in 2017. Nearly a million Rohingya now live in overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since a military coup in 2021, which led to widespread resistance. The conflict has intensified since October, when an alliance of ethnic armies, including the AA, launched a major offensive near the Chinese border. This coalition has seized significant territory from the better-armed Junta, posing the biggest challenge to its power since the coup.

According to one estimate, the Junta has lost control of about half of its 5,280 military positions, including outposts, bases, and headquarters.

Khine Thu Kha of the AA attributed the burning of Buthidaung to junta airstrikes before AA troops entered the town. “The burning of Buthidaung is due to the air strikes from the junta’s jet fighter before our troops entered the town,” he said.

Aung Kyaw Moe, a Rohingya civil society activist and a deputy minister in Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government, stated that the AA had asked Rohingya residents to leave Buthidaung. Still, many responded that they had nowhere to go, leaving them trapped during the offensive. “Since about 10 p.m. last night up to this early morning, Buthidaung town had been burning, and now only ashes remain,” he told media. Rohingya residents fled to the fields, and there may be casualties.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud recently expressed hope that the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh would return to Myanmar. Reports indicate that 138 Myanmar military personnel, including a lieutenant colonel and two majors, have sought refuge in Bangladesh. “They will be sent back the same way as other military men were repatriated,” Mahmud said, adding that the Rohingyas also wish to return.

Thousands of young people across Myanmar have fled to safer zones or crossed into other countries to avoid forced conscription. Those who have fled face survival challenges due to a lack of livelihood opportunities. The onset of the monsoon season, expected in a few weeks, might provide some respite, as mobility restrictions typically reduce clashes for nearly two months.