Myanmar rebels say they have taken junta's western regional command

(Reuters) - A rebel army in Myanmar said it had captured a major military headquarters in the country's west, marking the fall of the junta's second regional command as it faces mounting setbacks against a nationwide armed resistance movement.

The Arakan Army said the western military command in Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh, fell on Friday after two weeks of intense fighting, according to a statement late Friday night.

A spokesperson for Myanmar's military government could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since early 2021, when the military ousted an elected civilian government, triggering widespread protests that morphed into an armed rebellion against the junta.

The Arakan Army (AA) is part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance - a collection of anti-junta groups - that launched an offensive in October 2023, notching several significant victories along Myanmar's border with China.

In August, the alliance wrested control of the northeastern town of Lashio, marking the first seizure of a regional military command in Myanmar's history.

A coastal province along the Bay of Bengal, Rakhine is one of Myanmar's poorest regions, despite its offshore natural gas reserves and a planned economic zone in Kyauk Pyu, from where pipelines carry oil and gas into China.

Fighting in Rakhine, which is also home to the country's mainly Muslim minority Rohingya community, resumed last November after a ceasefire between the Arakan Army and the junta broke down, leading to a series of victories for the rebel forces.

Some Rohingya activists allege that Arakan Army targeted their community during its offensive in northern Rakhine, forcing tens of thousands to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh for safety.

The Arakan Army has denied the accusations.

(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Editing by Stephen Coates)