Min Tun - The military faces attacks not only from non-state armed groups but also media organisations when conducting security operations in Arakan State, a spokesperson for the Tatmadaw True News Information Team has claimed.

Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun was speaking at a press conference in Nay Pyi Taw on July 25.

“The military faces unexpected attacks from not only the enemy but also the media when launching security operations in Arakan State. I don’t want to refer to media organisations by name. So we pay attention when conducting security operations in Arakan State,” he said.

The comments come amid continuing concern about the current status and trend lines of media freedom in Myanmar.

Several journalists and news outlets including DMG have faced legal action in recent years under dubious pretenses, and according to an index compiled annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Myanmar’s press freedom has fallen three consecutive years. The journalism advocacy group ranked the country 139 out of 180 globally in 2020.

On Saturday, Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun also said the military was using appropriate troop levels and personnel to carry out effective counter-insurgency operations against the Arakan Army in Arakan State. The government declared the Arakan Army a terrorist organisation and unlawful association on March 23.

Clashes between the two sides have flared with regularity since late 2018, killing and wounding hundreds of people including many civilians. The number of people displaced by the conflict, meanwhile, has soared to almost 200,000 in Arakan State.