KABULNearly two years after a joint opposition offensive wrested large amounts of territory from Myanmar’s ruling military junta, the Arakan Army remains the largest and most successful of the country’s armed groups. The Arakan Army, which was founded in 2009, is seeking greater autonomy and sovereignty for the Arakan (Rakhine) ethnic majority in Rakhine State. Last week, The New Humanitarian published an article based on eyewitness accounts – supported by HRW’s report and other independent investigations – accusing the Arakan Army of using Rohingya men, women, and children as a source of forced labour. In their response, the ULA said it acknowledges that it is “currently facing some unverified human rights allegations driven by various factors. These claims appear to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish the positive image of the United League of Arakan (ULA)/Arakan Army (AA) by using covert and fabricated accounts from alleged victims.