Arakan Army Destroyed Four Mosques in Nan Yar Kone village of Buthidaung Township

Arakan Now, April 21, 2025

The Arakan Army destroyed four mosques in Nan Yar Kone village, Buthidaung Township, according to local residents. The mosques included Arabic religious school and mosques used by Rohingya.

Fighting between AA and junta forces that began in January 2024 forced over 1,000 people from Nan Yar Kone fled to nearby villages. They have not been allowed to return home, even though more than a year has passed. While AA allowed some residents in downtown Buthidaung to return, Nan Yar Kone village remains off-limits.

In late January 2024, Myanmar military retreated from Nan Yar Kone village and moved to a defensive position near the Panzin Bridge of Buthidaung downtown. They resisted AA attacks until late April, then fully withdrew. AA took control of the village afterward.

Locals of this village reported to Arakan Now that after taking control, AA forces looted Rohingya’s property. They reportedly took rice mills, machinery, vehicles and motorcycles belonging to the villagers.

After clearing the village, the AA allegedly built a temporary central market for Buthidaung town on land owned by displaced Rohingya villagers. The original market in the town had burned down during the fighting. AA is said to be renting out shops in the new market built on this private land.

Despite repeated calls from displaced villagers, no one from Nan Yar Kone has been allowed to return. Many are still living in shelters or with relatives in different villages, facing ongoing hardships with no clear information about when they can go back to their homes.