MAPPING CONFLICT | The Arakan Army’s war in western Myanmar

The military coup in Myanmar in 2021 sparked a huge increase in conflict right across the country and there are now hundreds of armed groups fighting against the military. Among the most powerful is the Arakan Army, which since late 2023 has seized control of nearly all of Rakhine State in western Myanmar. The group has encircled the Myanmar military’s remaining positions in the state and in recent days reports have emerged of fighting near critical Chinese energy infrastructure at Kyaukphyu.

This new episode of “Mapping Conflict” features Thomas Kean, Crisis Group’s Senior Consultant for Myanmar & Bangladesh. He explains the challenges the Arakan Army will face in governing its new territory, the impact of the fighting on civilians, and how the conflict has changed Bangladesh and China’s engagement with Myanmar.

In the “Mapping Conflict” series, Crisis Group experts use satellite imagery to examine developments in local and regional conflicts.

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