On March 17th, at around 4:00 p.m. local time, the Arakan Army (AA) officially announced their takeover of Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State, by defeating the defending three junta battalions stationed there after two weeks of intense fighting.
The 536th, 537th, and 538th Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) were forced out, with around two hundred survivors retreating via military ships. The rest were killed or captured; alongside the bodies of junta soldiers were Rohingya Muslims, reportedly forced to undergo training to fight the resistance groups.
The AA also declared their next objective is to attack the 552nd LIB, part of the region’s Military Operations Command 15 stationed at Buthidaung Township.
The AA captured several weapons and ammunition during the recent attacks, and the group will provide some to allied groups for use against junta forces.
