Arakan Army releases three prisoners of war

By DMG 11 Apr 2022

DMG Newsroom
11 April 2022,Ponnagyun 

The Arakan Army (AA) on Sunday released three prisoners of war captured during its 2018-2020 conflict with the Myanmar military, reportedly to mark the ethnic armed group’s 13th anniversary. 

The three prisoners of war were released from a school near Hsin Inn Gyi village in Arakan State’s Ponnagyun  Township at around 3 p.m. on April 10, former village-tract administrator U San Thar Kyaw told DMG. 

“We saw the release of three prisoners of war from the village school. The Arakan Army sent three prisoners of war in a car. I don’t know why the three prisoners of war were released,” he added. 

Local residents said they did not know when or where the prisoners of war were captured, or their military ranks and responsibilities. 

U Khin Maung Latt, a former lawmaker, told DMG that upon their release, the three prisoners of war were received by military officials from the Myanmar military’s Light Infantry Battalion  No. 550 in Ponnagyun. 

U Khin Maung Latt was among many who speculated that the release of the POWs may have been done in honour of the 13th anniversary of the Arakan Army on April 10, highlighting the stability that has resulted from an informal ceasefire between the two sides that has largely prevailed since November 2020. 

DMG phoned spokespersons for the Myanmar military and Arakan Army seeking comment on the release of the three prisoners of war, but they could not be reached. 

Forty-six people charged with having illegal ties to the Arakan Army had their cases withdrawn and were released from multiple prisons on February 12 in a junta gesture marking Myanmar’s Union Day.