Development Media Group - English Edition

Residents of more than 10 villages along the Arakan mountain range, near the Taungup–Padaung road connecting Arakan State and Bago Region, are facing severe livelihood hardships due to ongoing armed conflict, according to local residents. Read more: dmediag.com/news/rfdli.html #Taungup #ArakanYoma #ArakanState #ArakanArmy #MyanmarConflict #DMGNews

Junta airstrike kills pregnant woman, injures 12 in Mrauk-U village DMG Newsroom 6 November 2026, Mrauk-U A pregnant woman was killed and 12 other civilians were injured when the military junta launched an airstrike on Nankyar Village in Mrauk-U Township, Arakan State, at least several residential houses were also damaged, according to local residents. The airstrike occurred at approximately 11:25 p.m. on November 5, when a fighter jet dropped a bomb near the village, which is located close to the Mrauk-U–Anjanapura Road. "The bomb struck near the Nankyar pagoda. About half an hour later, when we went to check, a pregnant woman was being rushed to the hospital in an emergency. Around 1:00 a.m., we received word that she had passed away at the hospital," said Ko Zaw, a resident of Nankyar Village. The victim was identified as 35-year-old Daw Thae Thae Mon, who was pregnant at the time of the attack. Eleven other injured residents were identified as U Aung Kyaw Zaw, Daw Aye Aye, U Maung Ni Tun, U Tun Win, Daw Ma Hla Nu, Daw Lone Pu, Maung Than Naing, U Kyaw Tun Sein, Daw Than Than Soe, Ma Pa Pa Win Hlaing and Ma Aye Aye Than. On November 1, the military junta also bombed a temporary maternity ward and healthcare clinic in Htanmarit Ward, Mrauk-U, killing five civilians, including a newborn, and injuring nine others. "Our village has nothing to do with military affairs, yet we are not spared. They dropped the bomb while people were sleeping. Nowhere is safe anymore," a Nankyar resident said. Having lost control of most of Arakan State, the military junta has increasingly relied on airstrikes, with residential areas and civilians repeatedly affected by aerial attacks. Civilians across Arakan State continue to face physical and psychological insecurity amid the threat of military airstrikes. Caption: The scene following the airstrike on Nankyar Village, Mrauk-U Township. Photo: DMG #MraukU #ArakanState #MyanmarMilitaryAirstrike #DMGNews #Burma #HumanRightsViolation

Movements by fighters from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) have been reported in recent days along the Mayu Mountain Range, which stretches across Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships in northern Arakan State, areas under Arakan Army control. Read more: dmediag.com/news/aahsf.html #ArakanState #Maungdaw #Buthidaung #Rathedaung #MayuMountainRange #ARSA #APRG #SecurityAdvisory #DMGNews

Heavy fighting has intensified near Minchaung Bridge along the Sittwe–Ponnagyun border as the military junta presses ahead with a second major offensive toward Ponnagyun Township, using ground troops and air support. Read more: dmediag.com/news/iaspb.html #ArakanState #Sittwe #Ponnagyun #MinchaungBridge #Operation4926 #AmyintKyun #Kuntaung #JuntaOffensive #DMGNews

The Department of Public Health under the United League of Arakan (ULA) has issued a public health advisory urging residents across Arakan State to take precautionary measures against extreme heat and unusual weather conditions expected as the El Niño phenomenon intensifies. Read more: dmediag.com/news/uhduar.html #ArakanState #MraukU #ElNino #PublicHealthAdvisory #HeatwaveWarning #ULA #DepartmentOfPublicHealth #DMGNews

The military junta launched an aerial attack on locations between Yoengu and Kyaukseik villages along the Yangon–Sittwe Road in Ponnagyun Township, Arakan State, on the night of November 4. Read more: dmediag.com/news/jnfdis.html #ArakanState #Ponnagyun #Yoengu #Kyaukseik #Airstrikes #YangonSittweHighway #IDPSafety #DMGNews

The military regime has intensified aerial attacks on internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in areas controlled by the Arakan Army, putting displaced civilians at increasing risk. Read more: dmediag.com/news/usjsa.html #ArakanState #Kyaukphyu #Sanae #Minpyin #Ponnagyun #IDPCampBombings #JuntaWarCrimes #GyrocopterAttacks #DMGNews

Delegates from the United League of Arakan (ULA) are holding discussions with local authorities and civil society leaders in Mizoram State, India, to improve safe and reliable cross-border trade between Mizoram and Arakan State. Read more: dmediag.com/news/usuet.html #ArakanState #Paletwa #Mizoram #IndiaMyanmarBorder #ULA #MCVOA #BorderTrade #DMGNews

The military junta launched heavy nighttime aerial attacks on three villages in Ponnagyun Township, Arakan State, an area controlled by the Arakan Army, according to local sources. Read more: dmediag.com/news/jbtpa.html #ArakanState #Ponnagyun #Kuntaung #MinchaungBridge #Airstrikes #Y12Aircraft #SittweBorder #DMGNews

Arakan's Border Conflict: Junta-Backed Armed Groups and the Bangladesh Factor DMG Editorial The resurgence of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) along the Bangladesh–Arakan border, as fighting intensifies around Sittwe, is more than a coincidental development. It reflects a longstanding security challenge involving Myanmar's military, Muslim armed organisations and competing interests along the frontier. During the 2024 battles for Buthidaung and Maungdaw, Myanmar's military cooperated with Muslim armed groups, including ARSA and the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), despite its history of persecuting Muslim civilians. Independent research documented military training, ammunition supplies and tactical assistance, while subsequent investigations identified continuing links between these groups and junta personnel. This history is essential to understanding renewed attacks against Arakan Army (AA) positions. For Myanmar's military, maintaining relationships with armed groups along the northern Arakan border offers a means of pressuring the AA after losing territorial control. Ambushes, cross-border incursions and attacks on security outposts can divert AA personnel and resources from major battlefronts, particularly Sittwe. ARSA, RSO and the Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA) have been linked to attacks and armed activities along the border. However, these organisations have different leadership structures and objectives. Their past cooperation with the junta does not establish that every recent attack was directly coordinated by Myanmar's military. The Bangladesh dimension further complicates the conflict. The AA has accused certain Bangladeshi border security personnel of providing armed groups with logistical assistance, ammunition and intelligence. Such allegations require credible investigation and must be distinguished from Bangladesh's official government policy. Border Guard Bangladesh has publicly denied supporting ARSA or RSO. Bangladesh faces legitimate challenges involving border security, refugee protection and the eventual repatriation of Muslim/Rohingya refugees. Any involvement by individual security officials in facilitating cross-border armed operations would undermine those objectives and increase regional instability. The motivations behind Muslim armed-group activities are also complex. Alongside reported military cooperation, longstanding grievances, disputes over political representation and territorial control, and frustration over the prolonged refugee crisis have contributed to recruitment and armed mobilisation. These factors cannot justify attacks on civilians, forced recruitment or other abuses. For residents of Maungdaw, the consequences are immediate. Armed violence, insecurity and restricted movement threaten livelihoods and safety, particularly in vulnerable border communities. Muslim refugees also face intimidation, coercive recruitment and violence by armed organisations. Crucially, the actions of ARSA, RSO or ARA must not be attributed collectively to Muslim civilians. Equally, allegations of abuses against Muslim communities by other armed actors require independent investigation and accountability. The AA's territorial gains bring responsibilities extending beyond military security. Effective governance requires protecting all communities, addressing grievances and preventing ethnic divisions from deepening. Arakan's border crisis cannot be resolved through military operations alone. It demands scrutiny of junta-linked armed networks, credible investigation of alleged cross-border assistance, responsible engagement with Bangladesh and equal protection for civilians. Without addressing the political grievances and armed networks sustaining violence, territorial control will remain an uncertain foundation for lasting peace in Arakan. #DMG #Arakan #RakhineState #Myanmar #ArakanArmy #ARSA #RSO #ARA #Maungdaw #Sittwe #Bangladesh #MyanmarMilitary #BorderSecurity #ConflictAnalysis #CivilianProtection #RegionalStability

Junta blames KNU, resistance groups for tensions with Thailand DMG Newsroom 4 November 2026, Nay Pyi Taw The military regime has accused the Karen National Union (KNU), Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and People’s Defence Force (PDF) of attempting to undermine bilateral relations between Thailand and Myanmar, following heightened tensions after fighting along the border affected Thai territory. In a statement issued on November 3, the military junta claimed that peace and stability had prevailed along the Thai–Myanmar border, accusing anti-regime groups, including the KNU, KNLA, Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), National Unity Government (NUG) and PDF, of carrying out attacks that harm civilians in both countries and undermine bilateral relations. The regime further alleged that resistance groups were involved in illegal businesses and spread rumours through online media to mislead the public. On October 31, Myanmar military aircraft bombed a KNU position in Hpapun Township, Karen State, across the Salween River from Mae Sam Laep Village in Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province. The explosions and flying debris damaged homes and public buildings on the Thai side of the border. No casualties were reported in the incident. Separately, on October 29, a Thai woman was injured by artillery fire from the Myanmar side of the border and hospitalized in Mae Sot, Tak Province. The military junta denied responsibility for the October 29 incident, saying its forces did not use 12.7-mm heavy machine guns in the area. It instead accused the KNU, KNLA, CRPH, NUG and PDF of deliberately firing into Thai territory to damage relations between the two countries. In response to the border incidents, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thailand would protect its sovereignty and had raised concerns with Myanmar over the fighting near the border. On November 2, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces summoned Myanmar's military attaché in Bangkok and urged the junta to exercise caution in its military operations along the border. Following the incidents, Thai authorities stepped up security measures along the border. Boat services in Mae Sam Laep were temporarily suspended, while Thailand also imposed a temporary suspension of unofficial border trade through certain crossing points in Mae Sot and nearby areas from October 30 to November 5. On November 3, the Karen National Union (KNU) issued a statement calling for the reopening of border trade. The KNU urged Thai authorities to strengthen cooperation with the group and border-based civil society organizations to facilitate humanitarian assistance, formal trade and border security. Caption: A view along the Thai–Myanmar border. Photo: KIC #Myanmar #Thailand #ThaiMyanmarBorder #KNU #JuntaPropaganda #MaeHongSon #SalweenRiver #DMGNews

Pregnant women in Arakan State are increasingly anxious about seeking medical care and delivering their babies at local healthcare facilities as the military junta continues to carry out aerial attacks on hospitals and clinics in areas controlled by the Arakan Army. Read more: dmediag.com/news/pwfha.html #ArakanState #MraukU #Htanmarit #MaternityClinicBombing #HospitalAirstrikes #JuntaWarCrimes #NoFlyZone #DMGNews

Weekly Highlights from Arakan (October 26 to November 1, 2026) Myanmar airstrikes kill 12 civilians, injure 32 across four Arakan townships: AA Junta airstrike hits high school in AA-held Maungdaw village 70 Arakan civil society groups call for no-fly zone, emergency humanitarian aid ARSA steps up military activities in Maungdaw amid Sittwe fighting Arakan Army strikes three junta warships near Sittwe, two reportedly sink High farming costs, falling yields hit Arakan farmers youtu.be/JYAnCUGrZlQ?si=mQP0…

The military junta is planning to expand the runway at Manaung Airport in Manaung Township, Arakan State, an area under regime control, to allow larger commercial and transport aircraft to land. Read more: dmediag.com/news/jpmair.html #ArakanState #Manaung #ManaungAirport #JuntaBlockade #AirTravelHardship #RNP #DMGNews

Displaced civilians taking refuge in Werathani Township, Arakan State, are facing mounting survival and livelihood hardships amid continued aerial bombardments, naval shelling and artillery attacks by junta warships and artillery units based at the Regional Operations Command (ROC) in Sittwe. Read more: dmediag.com/news/jadlf.html #ArakanState #Werathani #Hsintetmaw #NgapyiIsland #JuntaNavalShelling #Airstrikes #HumanitarianCrisis #DMGNews

A seventh-grade student was hospitalized after being mistakenly identified as an accomplice to a thief and allegedly beaten by personnel from the Department of Law Enforcement and Public Security (DLEPS) in Rathedaung Township, Arakan State, according to local sources. Read more: dmediag.com/news/shaab.html #ArakanState #Rathedaung #Cedipyin #DLEPS #ULA #HumanRights #MediaGovernance #DMGNews

Nearly nine out of ten journalist killings worldwide remain unresolved, with global impunity rising for the first time since 2012, according to a UNESCO report released on November 2. Read more: dmediag.com/news/esojk.html #DMG #UNESCO #EndImpunity #ProtectJournalists #PressFreedom #JournalistSafety #MediaFreedom #Myanmar #Arakan #RakhineState #HumanRights #FreedomOfExpression #JusticeForJournalists

In an era when daily news from Arakan is often fragmented and fast-changing, DMG's Weekly Highlights of Arakan brings clarity, depth, and context to the stories that matter most. Each week, we round up key political, military, social, and humanitarian developments across Arakan State - connecting the dots between events and offering analysis to help audiences see the bigger picture. This series is designed for readers and viewers seeking a concise yet comprehensive understanding of how ongoing conflict, governance shifts, and community issues continue to shape lives across Arakan. Read more: dmediag.com/weekly-highlight… #WeeklyHighlightsFromArakan #ArakanNews #RakhineNews #DMG #DevelopmentMediaGroup #Arakan #RakhineState #MyanmarNews #MyanmarMilitary #Airstrikes #CivilianCasualties #WarCrimes #HumanRights #NoFlyZone #HumanitarianCrisis #ArakanArmy #AA #ARSA #Maungdaw #Sittwe #Ponnagyun #Kyauktaw #MraukU #Kyaukphyu #EducationUnderAttack #ArakanConflict #Farmers #FoodSecurity #WeeklyNews #ArakanUpdates

Civilian casualties in Arakan State continue to rise as the military junta intensifies aerial bombardments of towns and villages under the control of the Arakan Army. Read more: dmediag.com/news/jaktte.html #ArakanState #Airstrikes #CivilianCasualties #Kyauktaw #KisspanadiBridge #IndiaMarket #JuntaWarCrimes #DMGNews

The United States has outlined a strategy to support a lasting peace agreement in Myanmar by 2030 while seeking greater access to rare-earth resources, expanding American trade and strengthening regional influence, according to a US State Department document approved on August 31, 2026. Read more: dmediag.com/news/uslmma.html #DMG #Myanmar #Burma #UnitedStates #USForeignPolicy #MyanmarPeaceProcess #RareEarths #Ceasefire #Federalism #EthnicArmedOrganizations #USTrade #HumanitarianAid #ASEAN #China #RegionalSecurity #Arakan #RakhineState