A 23-year-old woman from Paletwa town, Chin State, said she was forced to flee her native place after being sexually assaulted by Arakan Army (AA) soldiers in April, according to reports by local media.
After the AA expelled junta troops and entered Paletwa town, two AA soldiers allegedly raped the woman and attempted to drown her. However, nearby villagers arrived in time and saved her life, according to her account.
The AA reportedly admitted to the crime committed by its soldiers, sentencing one to death and later handing down a death sentence to the other as well, and informed responsible parties, including the victim, about the punishment.
Following the incident, the woman fled to a village in India’s Mizoram State and has been living there. She has reportedly stated that since the AA remains in control of Paletwa, she will not return but instead intends to settle permanently in India.
Meanwhile, wsnews24 spoke with the victim’s family, who confirmed the details of the assault and her displacement. Rights groups and local observers have further pointed out that the incident is not isolated—there have been multiple allegations against the Arakan Army of committing mass sexual violence, including the gang rape of Rohingya women in Rakhine State. Arbitrary killings, rape, and sexual violence, they note, amount to grave breaches of international law, with the AA increasingly accused of engaging in systematic abuses against civilians.
