An armed ethnic minority group in Myanmar has said it captured a town and several junta outposts near the border with Bangladesh and India, in the latest setback for the embattled military. The Arakan Army is one of a dozen armed ethnic minority groups in Myanmar's border regions, many of whom have battled the military since independence from Britain in 1948 over autonomy and control of lucrative resources. The group said late Sunday that Arakan Army fighters had seized the town of Paletwa in Chin state, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Bangladesh border. The Arakan Army posted pictures it said showed its fighters outside the town's police station and general administration office. The Arakan Army also said it had captured six military bases along the border with India's Mizoram state.

Source: The Nation January 15, 2024 16:02 UTC