Mizzima
The Arakan Army issued a statement on 2 June responding to the Byine Phyu Village massacre in Sittwe Township where at least 76 villagers were killed by junta forces on 29 May.
Previous estimates had put the number of dead at 53, but the AA revised this figure to 76 on 4 June.
The statement also refers to “SAC [State Administration Council] trained Muslim conscripts” being involved in the massacre, by which the AA means that Rohingya conscripts serving in the junta army.
The AA statement also accuses fighters from the Arakan Liberation Army (ALA) of assisting the junta army in Byine Phyu Village, the ALA has denied any involvement in the massacre.
Below is the 2 June statement from the AA:
The United League of Arakan strongly condemns the recent egregious and inhumane crimes committed by the fascist military council (SAC), including the detention, torture, and killing of innocent civilians in the village of Byine Phyu, Sittwe, Arakan.
Ferocious fighting continues between the fascist military council (SAC) and the Arakan Army. The Arakan Army has been successfully capturing towns and purging them of SAC forces, having taken over all SAC military bases in Buthidaung. The Arakan Army continues to launch offensives against remaining SAC installations in Ann, Sittwe, Maungdaw, Kyauk Phyu, Taunggup, Thandwe, Gwa, and Man Aung.
In their desperate attempt to defend their remaining military bases, the losing fascist military council has resorted to both defensive and offensive measures. Additionally, they have been deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, villages, towns, and crowded places, using arson and aerial bombardments.
On May 29, troops from Sittwe-based DaKaSa, Pakokku-based Brigade 101, and other battalions, along with forces from the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) and SAC-trained Muslim conscripts—a column totaling more than 170 soldiers—surrounded the village of Byine Phyu. They arrested everyone in the village, including women, children, and the elderly, forcing them to stay in the scorching sun with their hands tied behind their backs, depriving them of food and water, torturing them, and killing villagers in cold blood in the most brutal manner.
Furthermore, they committed a series of atrocities, including the massacre of more than 50 people, disposal of their bodies, gang-raping women, holding up to a thousand people hostage, and robbing
valuables such as gold, cash, and motorcycles. These actions constitute a tremendous and horrendous war crime. This incident will be remembered as an act of vicious cruelty, and the people of Arakan will never forget it.
The Arakan Army has already taken strong retaliatory actions against SAC members responsible for similar crimes in the town of Pauktaw. We condemn the SAC in the strongest possible terms for these war crimes and crimes against humanity. We demand that the SAC immediately cease such crimes. We hereby vow to take strong retaliatory actions against those who gave the orders and the perpetrators themselves.
