Muslim armed groups killed 162 civilians in two years in northern Arakan: HDCO report

By Admin 05 Mar 2026

DMG Newsroom

5 March 2026, Maungdaw

More than 200 civilians were killed or injured by Muslim armed groups in Arakan State between November 2023 and January 2026, according to a report by the Humanitarian and Development Cooperation Office (HDCO).

The report, titled “Analysis of Violence Against Civilians by Islamic Armed Groups in northern Arakan,” was released on March 4. It states that 162 people were killed and 22 injured by Muslim armed groups, including the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

Additionally, 30 people remain missing after being abducted, while 15 others were later released, bringing the total number of victims to 229. The casualties include 137 Arakanese, 35 Muslims, 34 Hindus, 13 Khami, 6 Mro, and 4 Daingnet.

According to the report, 61 percent of those killed or injured were Arakanese. The document also records 13 mass killing incidents that resulted in the deaths of 48 civilians.

Notable cases include the killing of seven Khami ethnic people in Buthidaung Township on July 19, 2024; the burning and killing of four civilians in Aung Bala Ward in Maungdaw in August 2024; and the shooting of four civilians in Buthidaung in March 2025.

The report highlights various methods of killing, including victims being burned alive, shot inside their homes, killed during village raids, ambushed on roads, or executed after being abducted while traveling or working.

HDCO said the armed groups targeted victims based on several factors, including accusations of supporting the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA), religious rivalry, attempts to establish an exclusive Islamic enclave, and suspicions that some Muslims were collaborating with the Arakan Army. Vulnerable minority groups were also targeted due to their distinct religious identities.

Furthermore, the report alleges that in 2024 the military regime systematically collaborated with these Muslim armed groups, allowing violence against civilians and supplying weapons and ammunition via the Navy.

The HDCO said the international community has largely focused on the plight of the Muslim population while overlooking violence suffered by Arakanese, Hindu and other smaller ethnic minorities.

Urging immediate international intervention, the HDCO argued that the actions of Muslim armed groups in northern Maungdaw do not constitute self-defense but instead bear the hallmarks of “genocide” against civilians.