AA exploits women and children during Rakhine State battles
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Lynn / Thuta Kyaw (NP News) - Dec 3
According to information gathered by The NP News from sources familiar with the situation, it is reported that during the battles in Rakhine State, the AA (Arakan Army) has targeted women and children in various ways.
Last November, the AA began attacking Tatmadaw’s camps in Rakhine State, leading to a resurgence of clashes. Currently, the AA is engaging in battles in Maungdaw Township, Taungup Township, and Ann Township where the Western Command is located.
During the previous clashes, there were significant casualties on the AA side. In addition, ongoing battles, including those in Ann Township aimed at capturing the Western Command, have led to continued loss of life in the fighting across Rakhine State.
"In Ann, the wards (3) and (5) have been asking for rice, oil, and money from those who don't manage to escape. They also extort goods from the women and children who come to deliver supplies to the people leaving. Furthermore, those who tried to leave are not allowed to go, and they are given military training. If people attempt to deliver supplies, they are also taken along. The victims are forced to stay, and gunshots continue. This is what happens," said a source familiar with the situation in Ann.
"Because the AA used such tactics, the military also obtained the corpses of women, and these women were reportedly forced to learn how to use firearms in a short period of time and were sent to the front lines. It is also reported that among the bodies found, there were the remains of pregnant women," the source said, citing the information received.
"In the Geneva Convention, it was already stated that terms like 'polio,' 'disabled,' and 'pregnant women' should not be used. Yet, they are violating these terms and even acting against their own ethnicity. The point is, they are even violating the Geneva Convention. In reality, they are torturing against their own tribe," the source said.
Prisoners of War of the Tatmadaw personnel who were seized by the AA in the Rakhine battleground were tortured and murdered brutally, as per the frequent reports.
In addition, another source told The Statesman that the AA is using women in the battles in Ann. “They use women and also found their dead bodies,” the source said.
The same military source also confirmed that the AA has been recruiting underage individuals to gain military experience in the areas where the battles are taking place. Furthermore, in order to replace male soldiers who have died in the conflict, the AA has instructed each member to take up to four women and they also use forced pregnancy.