The Arakan Army, a rebel group, shared a video of their successful capture of the BGP5 barracks in northern Rakhine State. The siege ended with a violent assault involving artillery, rockets, and gunfire that left the buildings in ruins. BGP5, representing the Border Guard Police, was the last stronghold of the Myanmar military junta in the region. The Arakan Army fighters, depicted in the video, attacked the base with various weapons while air force jets flew overhead. This battle marked a significant moment in the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, with the Arakan Army gaining control of the entire border with Bangladesh and pushing the military forces to retreat. The insurgents faced numerous obstacles, including ditches filled with spikes, bunkers, and mines laid by the military. Despite the challenges, they managed to overpower the soldiers at BGP5, resulting in hundreds of casualties on the military side. The captured commander, Brigadier-General Thurein Tun, and his officers were shown kneeling beneath the insurgents’ banner in the aftermath of the siege. The Arakan Army’s swift and effective tactics have made them a formidable force in Myanmar, with ambitions of establishing self-government in Rakhine State. However, the group’s treatment of the Rohingya population and their implications for the region’s future remain uncertain.
