Religious leaders and local residents in Arakan State say people of different faiths in areas currently controlled by the Arakan Army (AA) are freely celebrating their religious festivals, with interfaith harmony becoming increasingly visible.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking temporary shelter in camps across Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State, are facing severe accommodation hardships as many of their deteriorating shelters remain unrepaired due to financial constraints.

Many Arakanese youths are reportedly losing opportunities to pursue higher education at domestic and international universities due to comprehensive transportation blockades in Arakan State, according to local sources.

Authorities in townships under the control of the Arakan Army (AA) are strictly enforcing traffic rules to improve road safety and reduce accidents, with local courts imposing fines on violators, according to sources.

Farmers in Arakan State are facing severe financial hardship as they struggle to find buyers for their harvested paddy amid a stagnant market and weak demand, local sources said.

At least three inmates escaped from custody in junta-controlled Kyaukphyu, Arakan State, on February 3, despite heightened security in the town amid ongoing regional instability, according to local sources.

The junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) announced on February 3 that a total of 1,025 representatives were elected in the 2025 general elections, which were held in three phases beginning in December.

Myanmar’s military regime has tightened travel restrictions on holders of 11/National Registration Cards (NRCs) since late January, following a series of military setbacks against the Arakan Army (AA), according to sources.

The Myanmar military regime is stepping up efforts to enter Arakan State by launching a large-scale offensive along the Ayeyarwady–Arakan coastal road toward Gwa Township, currently under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), according to military sources.

An elderly internally displaced person (IDP) was killed and two others were injured when the Myanmar military regime carried out a paramotor airstrike on Mawgyi Village in Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan State, where many displaced people have sought shelter.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) issued a statement on Monday calling on the international community to take immediate and decisive action against Myanmar’s military regime as its crimes against humanity continue to escalate across the country.

The United League of Arakan, the political wing of the Arakan Army, is working to strengthen healthcare services across the 15 townships it controls in Arakan State.

After suffering extensive territorial losses in Arakan State, Myanmar’s military regime has deployed at least 30 warships along the Arakan coast since the beginning of this year, seeking to expand its naval front via Hainggyi Island in Ayeyarwady Region.

In an era when daily news from Arakan is often fragmented and fast-changing, DMG's Weekly Highlights of Arakan brings clarity, depth, and context to the stories that matter most.

Casualties among civilians continue to rise in Arakan State amid ongoing attacks by Myanmar’s military regime. According to data compiled by DMG, at least 11 civilians were killed and six others injured during January alone.

Myanmar’s military regime is reportedly extorting money from detained Muslims in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, in exchange for their release, according to local Muslim sources.

An Arakanese man who was stabbed in Mae Sot, Thailand, is in urgent need of financial support for his medical treatment as his family struggles to cover mounting expenses, according to relatives and local aid organizations.

February 1 marks five years since the military coup in Myanmar. The armed forces seized power by overthrowing the National League for Democracy, which won the 2020 general election, citing alleged widespread electoral fraud.

Ten fishermen from Pauktaw Township in Arakan State who were detained by the Myanmar Navy on January 25 were released on January 27 after being forced to pay one million kyats each, local residents said.