Rebels in Myanmar capture airport on the Bay of Bengal
One of the prominent rebel groups in Myanmar, according to its own claims, has seized the airport in a region once popular among international tourists for holidays in the country. The Arakan Army reportedly discovered over 400 soldier bodies and ammunition in the Thandwe area in Rakhine State. Local residents and media confirmed the takeover of the airport, approximately 260 kilometers northwest of Yangon, also known as Ma Zin Airport.
AP news agency could not independently verify the group's statements. A senior hotel employee in Ngapali, on the Bay of Bengal, told AP that his staff had fled. Fighting has been occurring in the area since April. Flights have been canceled, and most of the 46 hotels and guesthouses are closed.
The seizure of the airport is another significant setback for the military, which seized power in 2021 and overthrew the elected government of peace Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Armed resistance from ethnic groups and pro-democracy forces is occurring in large parts of Myanmar.
The Arakan Army is the military wing of the Buddhist Rakhine minority, seeking autonomy from the central government. Since November of the previous year, the group has brought ten towns under its control. It is part of an alliance of armed ethnic fighters that launched an offensive in October, driving the army out of strategically important areas along the China border in the northeast of the country.
- Despite the seizure of the Ma Zin Airport in Rakhine State by the Arakan Army, many tourists who normally visit Bengal for its beautiful beaches and golf courses have cancelled their trips due to the ongoing civil unrest and fightings.
- The fighting between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military has affected the local businesses in the Thandwe area, including golf courses that were once popular among foreign tourists.
- The international community is closely monitoring the situation in Myanmar, with concerns over the humanitarian crisis escalating in April, following the takeover of Myanmar's airports by the Arakan Army rebels.
