The Arakan Army (AA) attacked army headquarters in Mrauk-U Township, Rakhine State on April 17, announced the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services on April 18.

AA forces launched an offensive attack on the army headquarters based near Baungdote Village from the village in the night time using heavy and small weapons, the announcement said.

The army attacked back and the fighting ceased around 11:45 pm. Another group of AA attacked again the army headquarters at Mrauk-U from Yangon-Sittwe Road around 10:40 pm, it said.

Officials from Mrauk-U Township administrative office, police officers from district police force and government officials visited Baungdote Village monastery on April 18 to meet the villagers to cooperate with the authorities. They persuaded the villagers not to accept the AA members in the village, not to encourage and support them and to inform the army if AA members are found near the village or in the village, it said.

The AA approached and attacked the army headquarters based near the towns and villages in the state by taking cover of towns, wards and villages and they are creating fabricated news for locals to misunderstand on the army when the army defended the AA attacks, it said.