RAKHINE: SURGE IN RAPES, BRUTAL MURDERS ROCK RAKHINE STATE UNDER AA CONTROL
Human Rights Defender Urges International Media to Investigate Rising Atrocities
PONNAGYUN, Rakhine State – July 27, 2026 – Human rights defenders are sounding an urgent alarm over a sharp escalation in sexual violence and brutal killings across Rakhine State, implicating areas under the control of the Arakan Army (AA). With 90% of the state now governed by the AA since 2023, minority communities are facing a disturbing wave of gender-based violence and impunity.
Latest Shocking Incident
The brutal murder of Hnin Hnin Wai, 24, has sparked public outrage. Her body was discovered on July 22 in Ponnagyun Township with her hands handcuffed and her body mutilated. She had vanished after accepting a motorcycle ride from a man claiming to attend a "party meeting." Her family suspects ULA/AA involvement due to the official-issue handcuffs used. The AA’s law enforcement body (DLEPS) has arrested three suspects but faces intense public scrutiny to prove impartiality.
Documented Pattern of Atrocities
Recent reports confirm a grim pattern of sexual assault and murder affecting women and children across ethnicities:
- Sept 2025: Daw Hnin Yu Nwe, 37, a teacher in Rathedaung, was sexually assaulted and had her throat slit while commuting to work.
- May 2025: A 9-year-old girl in Minbya was raped and found hanged from a tree.
- Mar 2024: A two-year-old toddler was raped and murdered in Maungdaw, her body concealed.
Mass Detention & Systematic Rape of Returnees
Adding to the crisis, a mass detention case revealed that 39 Rohingya families (180 individuals) were detained for over six months after returning from Bangladesh with official AA permission. Survivors report that women were systematically raped inside the detention facility. Families were extorted for 200,000 Kyat per person before being forcibly deported back to Bangladesh.
Call to Action
Given the escalating sexual harassment, rape, and violence perpetrated across all ethnic groups, I am urgently calling on international media outlets and human rights organizations to conduct thorough research and independent investigations into these grave violations. The international community must demand transparent justice, regardless of the perpetrators’ rank or status within the AA.
For further information or interviews:
Osman Goni (Aung Myint)
Director of AARA Documentary
Mail : osmangn@aara-documentary.org
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