5/21/26, 11:25 AM Myanmar: No Redress for Rohingya Muslims in Arakan Army Massacre | Human Rights Watch One woman said the fighters gathered a group of villagers in a paddy field beside a mosque. “Within minutes they opened fire at us randomly, without saying anything,” she said.DONATE “No one was spared. My English NOW husband was hit by a bullet. When the Arakan Army saw he was still alive, they came closer, firing at him several more times.” Human Rights Watch compiled a list of over 170 villagers, including about 90 children, who were killed or are still missing after the Hoyyar Siri massacre. The actual death toll is likely much higher. Human Rights Watch analyzed and verified photographs and videos showing human remains at three separate sites in the village. At two of these sites, civilian clothing is visible among human remains. Satellite imagery corroborates witness accounts that Arakan Army fighters set fire to Hoyyar Siri and, after taking control, destroyed the entire village. The fighters also robbed villagers of their cash and jewelry. One man detained by the Arakan Army said that he and other detainees were beaten and tortured, including with electric shocks. Several witnesses reported that fighters abducted Rohingya women and girls from the village. In February 2025, the Arakan Army ordered all surviving Hoyyar Siri residents to relocate to a makeshift camp nearby. Villagers who later managed to flee to Bangladesh told Human Rights Watch that they were denied freedom of movement, subjected to forced labor, and faced severe shortages of food and medical care. They said that in August, the armed group organized a controlled media visit to Hoyyar Siri in which survivors were forced to provide false testimony to exonerate the Arakan Army for killing the civilians. Over the past decade, the Myanmar military has committed ethnic cleansing, genocidal acts, and other atrocities in Rakhine State that have forced over a million Rohingya to flee. The massacre in Hoyyar Siri underscores that returning to Rakhine State is still unsafe for Rohingya refugees, even in areas now controlled by the Arakan Army. The Myanmar military and Arakan Army should immediately end attacks on civilians, release all civilians unlawfully detained, and provide redress to victims and their families, Human Rights Watch said. The Arakan Army in its letter to Human Rights Watch said it would facilitate inquiries by international human rights groups deemed credible and independent. Both parties should cooperate fully with independent investigations, including by granting access to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, the United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar, and human rights Wegroups. use cookies, tracking technologies, and third-party analytics tools to better understand who is using the website military seemed indifferent to the of the Rohingya and“Myanmar’s improve your experience. By using ourplight website you are civilians at Hoyyar Siri in 2024, and since juntaour hasprivacy done nothing to to address broader human rights concerns,” Ganguly agreeing tothen this.theRead policy find their out what cookies are used for and how to change your settings. https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/05/18/myanmar-no-redress-for-rohingya-muslims-in-arakan-army-massacre 3/6