Myanmar: Arakan Army claims control of town bordering India and Bangladesh

Guwahati: The Arakan Army which is an ethnic armed group in Myanmar has claimed to have taken control of a town bordering India and Bangladesh, according to numerous reports.

The development marks a further loss for the military government which is battling rebellion in several parts of the country.

The latest capture of Paletwa by the Arakan Army adds to the challenges faced by the junta since the 2021 coup, as multiple anti-junta groups supported by a pro-democracy parallel government have gained control over military posts and towns.

“Regarding border stability issues, we will cooperate at our best with neighbouring countries,” a spokesperson of the armed ethnic group Khine Thu Kha said in a statement as quoted by Reuters.

This comes after the Myanmar rebel alliance, also known as the ‘Three Brotherhood Alliance’ took control of the Laukkai town along the border with China last week.

“All Kokang (Laukkai) region has become a land with no Myanmar Military Council anymore,” the rebels said in a statement

According to reports, Paletwa is integral to a multi-million-dollar development project supported by India aimed at enhancing connectivity in the remote region.

Hence, the town’s proximity to India and Bangladesh makes it a focal point of observation for New Delhi.

The Indian Army General Manoj Pande recently expressed his concern over the situation on the Indo-Myanmar border.

“The situation at the Indo-Myanmar border is of concern to us. Also, some of the civilians from Bhutan are taking shelter both in Mizoram and Manipur. But what is of concern is that, because of the situation across the Indo-Myanmar border, we also have some of the insurgent groups who are feeling the pressure and who are now attempting to come into our side of the border in the state of Manipur,” General Pande said.