To his foes, Ata Ullah is a reckless amateur who has brought untold misery to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya after launching an insurgency in Myanmar.
But to supporters of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, their leader is an intrepid fighter who left a life of luxury in Saudi Arabia to defend the stateless group against overwhelming odds.
“He's very charismatic,“ said Richard Horsey, an independent analyst based in Myanmar. “He inspires people. He speaks in a way that resonates with the grievances felt by that community.“ Ullah is believed to have ordered the deadly attacks by ARSA in Myanmar's Rakhine state last month, provoking a ferocious offensive by security forces that has sent around 4,20,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh
. He first came to public attention last October when he announced his group's arrival in online videos after launching deadly ambushes on Myanmar border posts in Rakhine state.
ARSA leader Ata Ullah left a comfortable life to fight for community's rights; analysts say his aim has backfired
To his foes, Ata Ullah is a reckless amateur who has brought untold misery to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya after launching an insurgency in Myanmar.
But to supporters of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, their leader is an intrepid fighter who left a life of luxury in Saudi Arabia to defend the stateless group against overwhelming odds.
“He's very charismatic,“ said Richard Horsey, an independent analyst based in Myanmar. “He inspires people. He speaks in a way that resonates with the grievances felt by that community.“ Ullah is believed to have ordered the deadly attacks by ARSA in Myanmar's Rakhine state last month, provoking a ferocious offensive by security forces that has sent around 4,20,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh
. He first came to public attention last October when he announced his group's arrival in online videos after launching deadly ambushes on Myanmar border posts in Rakhine state.
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