Myanmar Military and Arakan Army Reportedly Forcibly Recruiting Rohingya in Rakhine State

What happened

DVB English reports that both the Myanmar military and the ethnic Rakhine armed group, the Arakan Army (AA), have been forcibly conscripting Rohingya and other Muslim youth in Arakan State for deployment to active frontlines near the state capital Sittwe, according to accounts from local residents and diaspora networks. Military commanders in regime-controlled areas reportedly arrest men in Rohingya communities and IDP camps if local leaders fail to deliver recruitment quotas, though these actions are outside the government’s formal 2024 conscription law.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. The forced enlistments follow a directive issued in August by former Arakan State Security and Border Affairs Minister Kyaw Thura, ordering five Rohingya wards and displacement camps in Sittwe to supply 20 recruits monthly. Local leaders have confirmed that about 1,000 Rohingya men were conscripted in northern Arakan during 2024, with the former National Unity Government Deputy Human Rights Minister Aung Kyaw Moe stating that at least 150 of these conscripts have been killed in frontline combat. While these numbers originate from claims by specific sources and remain unconfirmed, they indicate a significant human cost among forcibly recruited Rohingya.

Simultaneously, the Arakan Army enforces mandatory two-year military service for men aged 18 to 45 in its controlled areas under its 2025 National Defence Emergency Provision, but families report that minors below 18 have also been drafted. To prevent evasion, the AA has imposed a travel ban on all draft-age males and females aged 18 to 35 in Arakan until conflict conditions ease, effectively immobilizing a large segment of the population. This dual recruitment effort traps Rohingya and Muslim civilians regardless of which faction controls their area.

Known from the source

• The Myanmar military and Arakan Army are reported by DVB English local and diaspora sources to be forcibly recruiting Rohingya and Muslim youth in Arakan State.
• The military’s forced recruitment in regime areas reportedly includes arresting Rohingya men if recruitment quotas are unmet.
• A directive from former Arakan State official Kyaw Thura ordered Rohingya wards and camps to supply recruitment quotas monthly.
• Claims state at least 1,000 Rohingya men were conscripted in northern Arakan in 2024, with 150 allegedly killed in combat, attributed to NUG Deputy Human Rights Minister Aung Kyaw Moe.
• The Arakan Army’s 2025 military service rules mandate service for men 18–45 but reportedly include minors below 18.

What remains unclear

Armed clashes have intensified since an August AA offensive and a September 4 regime counteroffensive around Sittwe, including heavy fighting in surrounding villages and artillery exchanges near the Shwemingan Naval Base. The AA has captured most of Arakan State's townships and expanded operations into neighbouring regions, leaving the military with control mostly over Sittwe and limited strategic points that the AA actively encircles. Against this backdrop, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently updated stalled repatriation talks with Bangladesh, reporting verification of 449,193 individuals on the Rohingya registry, though continuing to deny legal recognition of the Rohingya ethnic identity.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verify casualty figures for forcibly conscripted Rohingya killed in frontline combat. Confirm extent and enforcement details of travel bans imposed by the Arakan Army. Confirm conscription of minors under 18 by the Arakan Army beyond family reports.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: DVB English. Open the source.