As conflict escalates in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the plight of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh remains as dire as ever. Recent developments – including the Arakan Army’s decision to ban the term “Rohingya” in areas under its control, dwindling food aid for refugees in Bangladesh, and shifting geopolitical stances – areContinue Reading
Myanmar’s economy is set to shrink by 2 percent this financial year, due to the effects of intensifying conflict and economic mismanagement by the military junta, according to the latest Myanmar economic outlook from the research group BMI. BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, cited the World Bank’s recent projectionContinue Reading
Each month, ACLED’s Asia Pacific Team collects information on the dates, actors, locations, fatalities, and types of all reported political violence and protest events in the region. Details below on significant developments in February 2025 in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand. Bangladesh: Hasina’s speech prompts demolitions ofContinue Reading
The head of Myanmar’s military junta arrived in Belarus yesterday for a two-day state visit aimed at shoring up support for his sanctioned and besieged military administration. Arriving from St. Petersburg, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing was welcomed at the airport in Minsk by Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs MaksimContinue Reading
While the port project has been largely stalled by the fighting, Kyaukphyu is also the site of a completed China-backed power plant and natural gas pipeline, as well as a naval base. A Rakhine-based charity leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “there is a need for healthcare and medicineContinue Reading
The head of Myanmar’s military junta has praised Russia’s support for his beleaguered military administration, as he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow yesterday. During a televised meeting at the Kremlin, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing thanked Russia for its diplomatic and military backing and expressed support for Putin’sContinue Reading
Myanmar has endured protracted ethno-political conflicts for decades. Since the military coup in February 2021, the situation has escalated to a new level. Technology is playing a significant role in the evolution of the civil war, as both sides add new weapons to their arsenals. Over the past three years,Continue Reading
The head of Myanmar’s besieged military junta is traveling to Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, who he is slated to meet with tomorrow. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing’s trip was announced on Saturday in Myanmar state media, with the Global New Light of Myanmar describing it asContinue Reading
The major breaking news out of the Mekong subregion in recent weeks is the supposed release and pending repatriation of nearly 10,000 foreign nationals from scam compounds around Myawaddy, a town in southeastern Myanmar that sits on the border with Thailand. In the first batch of 260 repatriations, a stunningContinue Reading
The Arakan Army (AA) has gradually become the dominant military force in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. It has captured more than 80 percent of the western state, leaving only a few key urban areas such as Sittwe, Manaung, and Kyaukphyu in the hands of the Myanmar military. As the AA gainedContinue Reading
