Myanmar Military Denies Involvement in Rakhine Village Deaths Amid Escalating Conflict

Myanmar’s military government has rejected allegations that its forces, in collaboration with local allies, were behind the killing of 76 individuals in a Rakhine village last week, state media reported on Wednesday. The region of Rakhine has become a focal point in the nation’s escalating civil unrest, with conflicts intensifying between the military, pro-democracy fighters, and ethnic armed factions since the 2021 military coup that removed Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government from power.
The recent surge in violence has reignited fears of renewed aggression towards the Muslim Rohingya minority, reminiscent of the 2017 crisis that led to over 740,000 Rohingya seeking refuge in Bangladesh. The accusations of a massacre in Byine Phyu village near the Rakhine state capital come from the Arakan Army, an ethnic group advocating for regional autonomy, which blames the military for the violence.
However, the complexity of the situation is compounded by both sides denying involvement and accusing each other of human rights abuses. The restricted access to the area has made it challenging to independently verify these claims. A UN human rights office report dating May 24 expressed concern over escalating violence in Rakhine, particularly attacks targeting Rohingya civilians, heightening international anxiety over the possibility of further persecution of the Rohingya community.