Arakan Army Seizes Strategic Town on Myanmar-India Border

The Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group in Burma's Rakhine state, has seized the township of Paletwa, which borders India and Bangladesh, declaring it a "Military Council-free area" and signaling the end of the ruling military government's administrative control. The group, part of an armed ethnic alliance, launched surprise attacks on military targets in mid-November, posing a significant challenge to Burma's military rulers since their seizure of power in February 2021. The Arakan Army seeks autonomy from Burma's central government and has gained control of strategic territory in the country's northeast, with Paletwa being the first township reported to fall to the group.