Commander-in-chief of Arakan Army Meets Rohingya Leaders in Maungdaw

Photo: APM

Arakan Now | 16 September 2025

General Twan Mrat Naing, the chairman of the United League of Arakan and Commander-in-chief of Arakan Army, met with Rohingya community leaders in Maungdaw earlier this month. 

The meeting coincided with the reopening of the Maungdaw Central Mosque, a prominent religious site that had been shuttered for over a decade. The mosque had been closed since June 8, 2012, following outbreaks of ethnic conflict. After 13 years, it was officially reopened on September 12, 2025, by the Arakan Army.

U Maung Maung Aye, Chairman of the Maungdaw District Rohingya affairs committee, said the reopening was the result of the direct appeal to Gen. Twan Mrat Naing during his visit.

"On August 30, 2025, when the general arrived, we requested him to reopen the mosque. That was our final appeal. Isn’t it thanks to that effort that it was opened? We are deeply grateful and truly happy," U Maung Maung Aye told APM. 

 The reopening of the Maungdaw Central Grand Mosque was facilitated by the Arakan People’s Government as part of its commitment to promoting peaceful coexistence and ensuring that all ethnic groups in Arakan can freely practice their faith