According to local reports, the Arakan Army (AA) recently apprehended two individuals belonging to a splinter faction of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) in Maungdaw Township, located in Rakhine State.
Ko Chit Min, the son of U Maung Thein Oo who responsible for the ALP's business operations and owner of RJ KTV Lounge, along with an ALP comrade involved in exporting cattle to Bangladesh, were the two members of the ALP breakaway faction led by Daw Saw Mra Raza Lin.
Maung Shwe Bu (also known as Ko Than Hlaing) and Ko Khin Maung Tun, both residents of Maungdaw, were the two civilians also reportedly taken away by the AA.
Narinjara received information from a government employee that AA’s operation occurred while these four individuals were en route to a picnic in Maungdaw on July 2nd.
"It is unclear as to the reason for their arrest, but the information I received suggests that AA was responsible. Currently two ALP members remain in custody, while the civilians have reportedly been released," said the source.
Despite Narinjara's attempt to contact ALP Secretary Major Khaing Thurein regarding the issue by phone on the evening of July 10th, there was no response from him. Similarly, Narinjara's attempt to reach out to AA spokesperson U Khaing Thu Kha did not yield any response.
In spite of the widespread news of AA's arrest of four individuals including ALP members, there has been no official confirmation from the authorities.
On July 1st, three ALP leaders were assassinated in Sittwe, and the following day, the four individuals mentioned earlier were arrested in Maungdaw.Following their arrests, there were nighttime inspections conducted by Military Council troops at several KTV lounges, including RJ, and restaurants in Maungdaw, according to locals.
Furthermore, in response to the desertion of three police personnel from a border police station in Maungdaw on the night of July 3rd, heightened security measures have been implemented in the area, including increased checks at the town's entrances and exits.
