The Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA) is an ethnic Rohingya insurgent group founded by Nabi Hossain. Competing armed groups pose new threat to Rohingya in Bangladesh International Institute for Strategic Studies. December 11, 2023
Formation Formed in September 2020, ARA claimed that its fighters were based in Rakhine State and that it promised equal rights for everyone. Its leaders, Nabi Hossain and Abdullah Kane, are wanted by Bangladeshi authorities for drug smuggling and mafia-like activities. Rohingya Armed Groups Active Again in Western Myanmar. September 20, 2021. The Irrawaddy. Gang-related crimes rampant in Rohingya camps. Bangla Tribune. August 26, 2019. Nuruzzaman Labu Case filed against 23 armed Myanmar nationals who fled to Bangladesh. Dhaka Tribune. February 9, 2024.
Conflict The group started fighting against the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army after peace activist, Mohib Ullah, was allegedly killed by the latter group on 29 September 2021.
On 6 February 2024 the Arakan Army and the RSO cooperated on a joint assault against ARA, who had captured a Border Guard Police camp along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border during the Rakhine Offensive. During the month of April, ARSA and ARA reportedly fought with the Tatmadaw against AA in Buthidaung, where they burnt down homes and kidnapped civilians.Myanmar Junta Using Rohingya Recruits to Sow Ethnic Hatred: Activists. Brian Wei. The Irrawaddy. April 19, 2024. According to statements from both AA and Rohingya refugees, ARA forcibly recruits young men to fight with the Myanmar military. Rohingya Forced to Fight Alongside Myanmar Army Tormentors. Agence France-Presse. May 29, 2024. 194 organisations say Rohingya must no longer be exploited for military and political gain. Mizzima. May 23, 2024.
On 30 August 2024, Nabi Hossain was arrested by the Armed Police Battalion. Rohingya smuggler Nabi Hossain arrested. Dhaka Tribune. September 1, 2024 Abdul Aziz
In 2025, Nabi Hossain was released on bail and subsequently went into hiding. Rohingya militant Nabi Hossain warns of 'action' against smugglers. December 18, 2025. Dhaka Stream. ARA later clashed with AA from 11-13 January 2026 before fleeing to Bangladesh. နတ်မြစ်ကျီးကျွန်းတိုက်ပွဲ ARA အပါအဝင် အကြမ်းအဖွဲ့ဝင် အနည်းဆုံး ၁၅၀ ကျော်သေဆုံးဟုဆို. January 12, 2026. Narinjara News. টেকনাফে সাবেক ইউপি সদস্য আটক, বাড়ি থেকে রোহিঙ্গা সশস্ত্র গোষ্ঠীর সরঞ্জাম উদ্ধার. January 17, 2026. Kaler Kantho.
On 5 May, 2026, the brother of Nabi Hossain, Mohammad Kamal, was shot dead by allegedly 12-13 members of the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation while he was returning from prayers at a mosque. Simultaneously, Kefayet Ullah Halim (the reported leader of ARA's former political wing, ARO [Arakan Rohingya Organisation]) was assassinated by gunmen; the killing was allegedly carried out by ARSA.
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