Despite nearly 1000 military officers and soldiers losing their lives in the battle where the Arakan Army (AA) captured the Western Command Headquarters in Ann Township, Rakhine State, the military has only listed them as missing persons and denied their families any benefits. In one notable case, it took over nine months for the military to officially notify the family of Captain Htein Linn Aung, a military engineer officer who died in the battle, about his death.
The battle for the Western Command Headquarters in Ann Township on December 20, 2024, represented a significant loss for the military. During the battle, Deputy Commander Brigadier General Thaung Htun, Brigadier General Kyaw Kyaw Than, and hundreds of other military officers and soldiers were captured as prisoners of war by the AA. However, the military has failed to acknowledge the deaths of its personnel, instead merely recording them as missing persons, leaving their families without any recognition or compensation.
Captain Htein Linn Aung, a graduate of the 15th batch of the Defense Services Computer and Technological Institute’s engineering course, was serving at the Western Command Headquarters when he fell in battle. His family has not received his remains, nor have they been granted any entitlements including life insurance benefits or service-related compensation. The military kept him listed as missing until September 2024, when they finally sent official notification of his death to his family, more than nine months after the battle. This case highlights the military’s systematic denial of benefits and recognition to the families of those who died in the Western Command Headquarters battle, affecting hundreds of military families who have been left without closure or support.
