Rohingya National Army

Rohingya National Army
রোহিঙ্গা ন্যাশনাল আর্মি
Participant in the Rohingya insurgency in Western Myanmar

Flag of the Rohingya people used by the RNA
Active 1998 (1998)–present
Ideology Rohingya nationalism
Islamism
Groups
Headquarters Buthidaung, Rakhine State
Area of operations Rakhine State, Myanmar
Strength 400–600
Opponents

Myanmar Government of Myanmar

Union of Myanmar (until 2011)
Battles and wars

Internal conflict in Myanmar

The Rohingya National Army (Bengali: রোহিঙ্গা ন্যাশনাল আর্মি; RNA) is the armed wing of the Rohingya National Council (RNC), and is a military alliance of Rohingya Islamist insurgent groups in Rakhine State (Arakan), Myanmar (Burma). In 1998, the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), the Arakan Rohingya National Organization (ARNO), and the Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front (ARIF) formed a mutual alliance, and established the RNA, whose affairs and establishments were managed by ARNO.[1]

In June 2015, three Burmese engineers were kidnapped and beheaded by insurgents belonging to the RSO faction of the RNA, leading some to label them as a terrorist organisation.[2]

Ties with al-Qaeda

According to US Embassy Cables revealed by Wikileaks, the alleged meeting of ARNO members and al-Qaeda representatives in 2000 is reported as follows:[1]

“ Five members (names still under inquiry by the GOB) of ARNO attended a high-ranking officers' course with Al Qaeda representatives on 15 May 2000 and arrived back in Bangladesh on 22 June. During the course, they discussed matters relating to political and military affairs, arms and ammunition, and financing with Osama Bin Laden. Mohamed Arju Taida and Mohamed Rau-Sheik Ar-Mar Darsi from the Taliban were present with them at the meeting. Ninety members of ARNO were selected to attend a guerrilla warfare course, a variety of explosives courses and heavy-weapons courses held in Libya and Afghanistan in August, 2001. Thirteen out of these selected members participated in the explosives and heavy-weapons training. ”

As Wikileaks noted, there was also connection between Talibans and ARNO Rohingya militants:[1]

“ Arrival of Two Talibans at ARNO Headquarters:

Al Ha-Saud and Al Ja-hid, two members of Taliban group, arrived at ARNO's headquarters in Zai-La-Saw-Ri Camp on 2 November 2001 from the Rohingya Solidarity Organization's (RSO) Kann-Grat-Chaung camp. They met with Nur Islam (Chairman), ZaFaur-Ahmed (Secretary) and Fayos Ahmed (acting Chief-of-Staff Army), ARNO, and discussed the reorganization of RSO and ARNO. It was learned that ARNO/RSO and Taliban groups planned to hold a meeting on 15 November 2001. Nurul Islam, Chairman of ARNO, also declared that the Arakan Rohingya Islamic Front (ARIF) and the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) had agreed to reorganize as integrated members of ARNO. However, Mullah Dil-Mar from RSO did not agree with this re-organization and resigned with his entourage of insurgents.

 ”

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Wikileaks Cables: ARAKAN ROHINGYA NATIONAL ORGANIZATION CONTACTS WITH AL QAEDA AND WITH BURMESE INSURGENT GROUPS ON THE THAI BORDER". Revealed by Wikileaks. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  2. ↑ Bangladeshi Army training Rohingya terrorists on Burma's border - The Muslim Issue (Note: Source is not neutral)
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