destruction of dozens of Rohingya villages in Buthidaung. According to eyewitness accounts
corroborated by journalistic investigations, Arakan Army forces carried out widespread arson,
looting, shelling of civilian infrastructure including schools, and the torture and killing of
Rohingya civilians. One strategic policy institute later reportedly wrote, “The images show that as
Arakan Army forces advanced across rural Buthidaung township in late April and May, they left
a trail of rubble and ash as they burnt down Rohingya villages, seemingly indiscriminately.” This
stark contrast between the General’s public statement and the documented atrocities points to a
well-crafted disinformation strategy. By claiming that the AA, “serves everyone regardless of
their religious or ethnic background” the General Naing not only seeks to portray his forces as
inclusive, but also attempts to ignore ground violence. His use of inflammatory language, calling
testimonies or reports ‘distorted and misleading crap’, further reveals an intention to delegitimize
any narrative that holds the Arakan Army accountable. His tweet, therefore, is not merely a
denial; it is a calculated propaganda tool. It spreads incendiary falsehoods while real
communities, in this case the Rohingya, are being targeted, displaced, and persecuted. His
assertion of ‘dedication to all communities’ rings hollow when placed alongside the scorched
remains of Rohingya homes and the bloodied testimonies of survivors.
On 10 May 2024, just a week before the Arakan Army launched its attack on the Buthidaung
town itself, General Naing posted a series of photographs on his X account. These images show
AA personnel assisting visibly Muslim civilians (who appear to be Rohingyas), elderly men in
skull caps, children, and a frail elderly woman, carrying their belongings as they moved along a
rural road. The imagery was clearly designed to project an image of compassion and protection
extended to the Rohingya community, presenting the AA as a benevolent force during a time of
crisis. Accompanying these photos, the General wrote,
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