In Maungdaw Township of Arakan (Rakhine) State, the Arakan Army (AA) released 67 detainees on April 17, coinciding with Myanmar’s traditional New Year Day.
Those freed included prisoners of war (PoWs) captured during clashes, as well as individuals accused of ties to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and others held for various offences.
Among those released, 35 were PoWs, 3 were alleged ARSA-linked detainees, 4 were held in connection with arms and ammunition trafficking, and 25 were detained for other charges.
An official from an AA detention facility said PoWs were held under established rules and eventually released on humanitarian grounds.
“We take care of all detainees, including the PoWs, in line with applicable procedures. On major holidays and important occasions, we used to grant amnesty to the inmates as a humanitarian gesture,” the official said.
Local sources in Maungdaw reported that more than 30 of those released were Muslims.
This release followed another round of amnesty earlier in the month. On April 10, marking the 17th anniversary of the AA’s founding, 21 PoWs captured in Paletwa Township, Chin State, were freed. That came after 30 detainees were released on March 4.
Military observers in Arakan State said the AA has increasingly carried out such releases on humanitarian grounds.
“We saw more PoWs and their family members being released this year, which really points to a more humanitarian approach from the AA. At the same time, the junta has been busy carrying out airstrikes on AA detention sites holding PoWs, who are its own troops, and their families, which paints a very different picture,” a military observer said.
In recent months, junta airstrikes have reportedly hit the facilities where the AA was holding detainees, including PoWs and their relatives captured during AA operations to take control of towns.
Since the escalation of fighting in Arakan State in late 2023, thousands of PoWs and their family members are believed to have been captured by the AA.
According to figures compiled by DMG, the AA released more than 2,000 inmates between 2024 and 2026.
