Fortify Rights Urges ICC to Expand Probe Following New Evidence of Mass Killings of Rohingya Civilians by Arakan Army (AA)
April 10, 2026 | Burma Independent Voice
Fortify Rights called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on April 9 to expand its investigation into Myanmar, citing new evidence of mass killings committed by the Arakan Army (AA) against Rohingya civilians in Rakhine State.
According to a statement from Fortify Rights, the incident occurred near Than Shauk Kan village in Buthidaung Township on May 2, 2024. After the AA ordered villagers to evacuate to safer areas, hundreds of fleeing Rohingya civilians were intercepted and shot dead mid-journey. Fortify Rights collected harrowing details from interviews conducted between March and November 2025 with 15 survivors of the massacre.
The report includes testimony from 27-year-old Rashid Ahmed, who recounted hearing a command in the Rakhine language over a walkie-talkie saying, “Kill them all.” Following the order, AA members opened fire continuously; seven out of nine of Rashid’s family members were killed.
Another survivor, Rahimah, stated that she escaped by feigning death despite sustaining four gunshot wounds. She testified that all six of her children were killed in the attack. Another witness, 38-year-old Arof, reported seeing approximately 40 bodies while fleeing and noted that the AA has since designated the village a “red zone,” prohibiting residents from returning.
Fortify Rights further accused the AA of arbitrary arrests, torture, and arson of Rohingya homes, as well as involvement in other mass killings in Maungdaw in August 2024. The organization argued that the AA’s atrocities fall under the ICC’s jurisdiction as the persecution has forced Rohingya to flee into Bangladesh once again. Fortify Rights is demanding that these crimes be included in the ICC’s investigation.
Additionally, the group called on UN member states to immediately implement effective economic sanctions against the AA and its commanders involved in human rights violations.
