Exclusive: On Myanmar’s Frontline, Rohingya Fighters and Junta Confront a Shared Adversary

By Devjyot Ghoshal

BANGKOK – Myanmar’s military has historically viewed the insurgency among the oppressed Rohingya Muslims as an existential threat to the predominantly Buddhist nation. However, as the Arakan Army, a major rebel group, gains ground, the military and some Rohingya factions now find themselves confronting a shared adversary.

In a surprising development, the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) reports having reached an "understanding" with the military to refrain from attacking each other while both entities focus on combatting the Arakan Army.

"The junta did not attack us, and we did not attack them," stated Ko Ko Linn, the head of the RSO’s political affairs, in a rare interview. "When they are not attacking us, why turn ourselves into two targets? This understanding has emerged naturally."

While Ko Ko Linn emphasized that there is no formal collaboration or agreement between the RSO and the military, he maintained that both sides are independently fighting the Arakan Army. "Our fighters are wearing our own uniforms and using our own weapons," he clarified.

The specifics of this "understanding" were not disclosed, but Ko Ko Linn mentioned movements of RSO fighters into Maungdaw, a town bordering Bangladesh, earlier this year, during which both the military and RSO engaged the Arakan Army.

The battlefield conditions in Rakhine state, where Maungdaw is located, could not be independently verified by outside sources. The Myanmar military did not respond to inquiries for comment.

Ko Ko Linn claimed that the Arakan Army has rejected offers from the RSO to form a united front against Myanmar’s military and has instead targeted the Rohingya community in northern Rakhine state, leading his organization to arm itself in defense. "They were stalling and avoiding talks with us," he said, adding that the RSO frequently warned the Arakan Army against harming the Rohingya, but those warnings were ignored.

The Arakan Army, which has denied allegations of targeting the Rohingya, did not respond to the RSO’s statements.

Tensions remain deeply rooted between the Buddhist community in Rakhine, which supports the Arakan Army, and the Rohingya. Reports have indicated that some Rohingya individuals have been forcibly conscripted by the military to combat the Arakan Army, which accuses parts of the Muslim minority, including the RSO, of working with the junta.

In a reported incident in May, the Arakan Army set fire to sections of Buthidaung, previously the largest Rohingya settlement, after military-led arson attacks had already devastated the area.

The RSO is one of several Rohingya armed groups competing for influence, both in refugee camps in Bangladesh, where over a million Rohingya reside, and in Rakhine. Many Rohingya fled to Bangladesh following a brutal military crackdown in 2017, which the United Nations termed "ethnic cleansing." The military has defended its actions as a legitimate counterterrorism operation initiated by militant attacks.

Current fighting in Rakhine is part of a broader rebellion against Myanmar’s junta, which seized power from an elected civilian government three years ago, spurring nationwide protests that have escalated into an armed insurrection.

The RSO, founded in 1982 with the goal of establishing an autonomous region for the Rohingya, was long considered nearly defunct. However, since 2022, it has reorganized and expanded its ranks from about 1,000 to between 5,000 and 6,000 members, though not all are armed, according to Ko Ko Linn. The group has faced accusations from human rights organizations of forcibly recruiting Rohingya in refugee camps, which the RSO denies.

Earlier this year, the RSO deployed around 1,000 fighters to Maungdaw to protect the Rohingya amid threats from the Arakan Army. Ko Ko Linn noted that during this time, the RSO and the military found themselves united against a common enemy.

However, after roughly three months in the area, the RSO withdrew its fighters in early August following a tragic attack that resulted in civilian casualties. According to estimates from the United Nations, around 180 individuals, including women and children, were killed in artillery assaults and drone strikes near the Naf River bank adjacent to Maungdaw. Both the Arakan Army and Myanmar’s military blamed each other for the tragedy.

The RSO did not partake in the incident but chose to withdraw from Maungdaw to prevent further civilian casualties. "We are adjusting our strategy," Ko Ko Linn remarked, choosing not to disclose specific details. "We will return to fight again."