[Today's Prayer] Myanmar's Largest Rebel Army Completely Takes Over Rakhine State in Western Myanmar

The Arakan Army, the most powerful of the many rebel groups fighting against the Myanmar government, claimed that it has taken over the last government outpost in the strategic western city of Maungdaw, completely taking over the 271-kilometer border with Bangladesh.

(Omitted)

Rakhine State was the center of Myanmar's civil war. Ethnic minority armed rebels seeking democracy and autonomy in Myanmar have been fighting against the military since the military staged a coup in 2021 and seized power after ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Khaing Tuka, Arakan Army spokesman, announced on the night of the 8th that the Arakan Army had taken over the last remaining government base in Maungdaw.

(Omitted)

Most internet and mobile phone services in Maungdaw are down, so this claim cannot be independently verified.

(Omitted)

Maungdaw, located about 400km southwest of Myanmar's second largest city, Mandalay, has been under attack by the Arakan Army since June. The Arakan Army had taken over two other villages, Paletwa and Buthidaung, on the border with Bangladesh earlier this year.

Since November 2023, the Arakan Army has controlled 11 of Rakhine State's 17 towns and one town in neighboring Chin State.

(Omitted)

The Arakan Army announced on Telegram on the afternoon of the 13th that it had taken over the Myanmar Army's Western Command, which oversees Rakhine State and the southern part of neighboring Chin State, and about 30 military outposts excluding the territorial waters of the Bay of Bengal.

However, the recent fighting in Rakhine State has raised concerns about a resurgence of organized violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority, reminiscent of the 2017 incident where at least 740,000 Rohingya fled to neighboring Bangladesh for safety.

The Arakan rebels, a military unit of the majority Buddhists in Rakhine State, have been heavily criticized for human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims.

Source: Newsis

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

In the midst of the ongoing civil war following the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, we hear news that the Arakan rebels, the most powerful ethnic armed rebel group in Myanmar that has been fighting against the military, have completely taken control of Rakhine State in western Myanmar.

They fought for Myanmar’s autonomy, but since they are a majority Buddhist force, they also reject the Rohingya Muslim minority, and the Rohingya are fleeing to Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Lord God, your eyes are on all the world. May you have mercy on the marginalized minorities in Myanmar, including the Rohingya.

Please grant true peace through Jesus Christ to the Myanmar minorities who have no place to rest even in their homeland and have to leave Myanmar to escape the oppression of other minorities.

May the power of God be upon the global church to serve the Myanmar minorities so that they can hear the gospel of Jesus Christ wherever they go to take refuge, and may the global church serve the widows and orphans of the Myanmar minority who have lost their families in the war and cry out every day.

There is no salvation in any other name, but there is salvation only in the name of Jesus Christ. May you look upon the souls of Myanmar's ethnic minorities who are wholeheartedly seeking the truth, and send out those who will serve them with the gospel from the global church.

May the Rohingya and other Myanmar ethnic minorities be established as the loyal army of Jesus Christ, who rules as the King of the eternal kingdom of God, not as the kings of the land who act in vain.

Let the Myanmar people rise up as the holy king's army that will expand the kingdom of God along the Asian Highway from Myanmar to the nations!