Traveling Through Myanmar’s War-Ravaged Arakan

In early 2023, I began planning a reporting assignment to the war-torn territories in southern Chin State and Rakhine State in western Myanmar. When the plans were finalized toward the end of June 2024, after months of relentless efforts, I buzzed with excitement. This region offered the possibility of a different experience from the other conflict zones I had visited in the country last year.

Operating in western Myanmar, the Arakan Army has captured more land from the military than any other resistance group in the country since the coup nearly four years ago. From its origin as a guerrilla outfit engaging in hit-and-run operations, the Arakan Army had reportedly transformed into a regular army engaging the military in open battles with sophisticated weaponry. Observing the situation first-hand would help in gaining a clearer perspective of the conflict in the region.