AA frees 32 junta members in Maungdaw 

Narinjara News, May 20, 2025 

The Arakan Army (AA) has reportedly freed 32 junta members who capitulated during the conflict for the town in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, along the western Myanmar border with Bangladesh. 

On May 19, the AA freed 32 of the junta members who gave themselves up to the AA, offering them 300,000 kyats each for travel expenses, a source affiliated with the ULA/AA reported to Narinjara. 

"We conducted a ceremony yesterday to return them to their respective families. We reached out to their families and brought them to the ceremony to receive the detained soldiers," he stated. 

He stated that they were moved to a secure location, ensuring their safety. 

"He mentioned that the Arakan Army escorted them to their intended location after ensuring their safety." 

The AA seized complete control of Maungdaw Township on December 8, 2024. After taking over Maungdaw Township, the AA has complete control over the entire 271-kilometer (168-mile) border with Bangladesh, stretching from the Naf River’s mouth to the Indian border. 

The AA has been releasing prisoners of war along with their families in batches since the conflict began in Rakhine State, having freed over 1,000 prisoners of war who capitulated to the AA during the clashes. 

On May 18, the AA transferred over 314 family members of war prisoners from Buthidaung Township to their relatives in a ceremony. 

On May 16, the AA freed 225 prisoners of war along with their families who were taken during the clashes in Minbya Township. 

On April 13, the day before Thingyan, the AA set free 170 prisoners of war along with their families, who had been taken during the conflicts in Minbya Township. 

During the first week of February, the AA freed 116 families of war captives and 26 civilian detainees.