The Arakan Army (AA) announced on March 20 that it has released prisoners of war (POWs) and their family members captured during fighting in Arakan State, citing humanitarian grounds.

Myanmar’s military regime has sentenced three Arakanese internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Yekyi Township, Ayeyarwady Region, to five years in prison each under the Counterterrorism Law over alleged links to the Arakan Army (AA), according to local residents.

Clashes between the military regime and the Arakan Army (AA) have intensified as the regime deploys large reinforcements to defend the strategically important Nat Yay Kan hilltop base, which has been under siege, according to military sources.

According to detained officers who fought against the Arakan Army, the group’s success was driven by strong morale, disciplined command structures, modern weaponry and the ability of its troops to endure hardship.

The Education Department under the United League of Arakan (ULA) has announced the establishment of Arakan National University to provide higher education opportunities for youths whose studies have been disrupted.

Residents displaced from the Darlatchaung area in Ann Township due to fighting in 2024 say they remain unable to return to their homes because of ongoing security threats and livelihood challenges.

Authorities in Lawngtlai District in Mizoram State, India, have imposed restrictions on the sale and distribution of gas, diesel and petrol, according to an official directive issued on March 17.

Junta-affiliated media outlets have reported that more than 500 members of resistance forces have surrendered to the military regime, coinciding with the commencement of parliamentary sessions following the recent elections.

The IDPs, who fled fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army (AA), said their shelters are located about two miles from the nearest functioning wells and ponds, forcing them to travel long distances under difficult conditions to collect water.

Myanmar’s military regime has enacted a new Passport Law on March 17, further tightening restrictions on citizens’ right to travel abroad.

Myanmar’s military regime has intensified the use of kamikaze drones targeting civilian villages and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan State, where fighting remains intense, residents said.

A two-year-old girl was reportedly raped and murdered in Aung Thukha Village, southern Maungdaw Township, an area under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), on March 16. Authorities have since detained a 13-year-old boy and three other suspects in connection with the crime.

A manhunt is underway for a man accused of raping an 8-year-old girl in Pauktaw Township, an area under the control of the Arakha Army (AA) in Arakan State. Residents report that the suspect remains at large after escaping from custody.

Local residents are calling for urgent repairs to the Kyaukpandu–Cedipyin road, which runs through the Mayu Mountains and connects southern Maungdaw Township to the Mayu riverbank area in Rathedaung Township, citing serious safety risks for travelers.

Spring Revolution forces and various civil society organizations have called for a negotiated settlement to the military conflict currently unfolding between the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State.

Landmine clearance teams from the Arakan Army (AA) are carrying out ongoing operations in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships to ensure safe passage for civilians in areas where heavy fighting previously took place between the Myanmar military and the ethnic Arakanese armed group.

Approximately 1,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering at the Cedipyin camp on the banks of the Mayu River in Rathedaung Township, an area controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), are facing severe livelihood hardships and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

The Myanmar military regime has intensified aerial bombardments across various parts of Arakan State currently under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), carrying out strikes around the clock.

The Mizoram state government in India has expressed its hope to resume the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMMTTP) in Arakan State, currently under the control of the Arakan Army (AA).