Arakan Army Captures Myanmar Junta's Western Command

• This is the second major military loss for the Myanmar junta in the past five months.
• The United Nations has issued a warning about the potential for famine in Rakhine by mid-2025.
• The ongoing conflict is a key factor contributing to the impending humanitarian crisis in the region.

A Myanmar ethnic rebel group has captured a military regional command in Rakhine state, delivering a significant blow to the junta. The Arakan Army (AA) announced that it had "completely captured" the western regional command in Ann on Friday after weeks of fighting, according to a statement on its Telegram channel. Ann is the second regional military command to fall to ethnic rebels in the past five months, marking a major setback for Myanmar’s military. The military operates 14 regional commands across the country, many of which are engaged in conflicts with established ethnic rebel groups or newly-formed "People's Defence Forces" fighting against the military’s 2021 coup. Fighting in Rakhine state erupted after the AA attacked security forces in November of the previous year, ending a ceasefire that had largely held since the coup. The AA has since seized large areas of Rakhine state, which is home to port projects backed by China and India, and has nearly isolated the state capital, Sittwe. The AA shared photos of a man it claimed to be the Ann deputy regional commander, now in their custody. However, AFP was unable to independently verify this claim or reach the AA’s spokesman for further comment, as communication in the Ann area is difficult due to patchy internet and phone services. For decades, Myanmar’s military had never lost a regional command until August of the previous year when the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) seized the northeastern command in Lashio, Shan state. Myanmar’s borderlands are home to many ethnic armed groups that have fought for autonomy and control of valuable resources since independence. Last month, the UN warned that Rakhine state is heading toward famine, as ongoing fighting severely disrupts commerce and agricultural production. A report from the UN Development Programme projected "famine conditions by mid-2025" if food insecurity continues to worsen.