The Arakan Army (AA) spokesperson Khaing Thukha has denounced the military council’s announcement about the arrest of AA support team members with narcotics as fabricated news intended to discredit the organization. According to the military council’s statement, they claimed to have seized narcotics worth approximately 282.325 billion kyats intended for Malaysia during April and May, along with the arrest of 26 individuals allegedly including AA support team members.
Khaing Thukha explained that the military council’s accusations are deliberately aimed at damaging AA’s reputation, particularly at a time when the military has committed war crimes, including the killing of young children in Depayin region. He stated that these accusations are meant to cover up the military’s war crimes and emphasized that gambling, narcotics, and human trafficking operations in Myanmar are actually controlled by the military council and its senior generals. The spokesperson highlighted that these false allegations are part of a pattern of deliberate misinformation campaigns by the military council.
The AA spokesperson further elaborated that these accusations come at a time when the AA’s territorial control has expanded, and the military is concerned about potential recognition of the AA by the United Nations, international community, and neighboring countries. Currently, intense fighting continues between AA forces and military council troops in Kyaukphyu Township, Rakhine State, with the military council conducting continuous airstrikes and troop reinforcements in their efforts to maintain control of Kyaukphyu, according to AA military sources.
