Junta-Trained ARA Militant Exposed Torturing Rakhine Civilians in Viral Videos
Videos circulating on social media have exposed junta-trained Muslim militants violently torturing civilians in Maungdaw, according to findings reviewed by Lay Wadi Media. The footage was uploaded on November 21 by an extremist Arakan Rohingya Army (ARA) member identified as Mestar Fahad, who shared the videos on his Facebook account.
Two separate clips show two Rakhine men with their hands tied behind their backs being beaten, kicked, and interrogated by a militant who claimed to have received military training from the Myanmar Army. During the interrogation, the militant repeatedly questioned the victims about their origins and whether they had any links to the Arakan Army (AA).
One of the victims stated he was from Sittwe and had travelled to Maungdaw due to economic hardship, while both insisted they were ordinary civilians. Despite their responses, the militant continued accusing them of being tied to the AA. Within the Rakhine community, one of the victims — the man from Sittwe — is rumored to be singer Khine Min Thwe, though Lay Wadi Media notes that this claim cannot yet be independently verified.
Footage of the scene suggests a visible junta presence in the surrounding environment. Several individuals believed to be Myanmar military troops and Border Guard Police (BGP) can be seen nearby, with military-style uniforms and jackets hanging around the area. The exact date and location of the incident remain unconfirmed, but it is believed to have occurred between March and November 2024, during the period when the junta still controlled part of Maungdaw Township, possibly near the 15th BGP Battalion (Na Kha Kha – 5).
The militant identified in the video is believed to be Mohammad Fahad (also known as Fahad or Mohamat Farhat), a Muslim militant who reportedly attended military training under the Myanmar Army and previously served under junta officer Lt. Col. Kyaw Than. He is currently a member of the ARA extremist group and is said to be responsible for external fundraising operations for the organization.
The release of the videos has intensified concerns over junta-backed Islamist militancy in northern Rakhine, the role of Bangladesh-based militant groups, and ongoing human rights abuses committed by ARA fighters against Rakhine civilians. Lay Wadi Media continues to investigate the identities of the victims and the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
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