police forces at the temple had been a source of contention. The group's spokesman later stated that the situation had been resolved peacefully. The Arakan Army and its political wing United League of Arakan (ULA) started asserting administrative control over the region since the coup, issuing stay-at-home orders on 20 July in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to announcing the setting up of a dispute resolution mechanism and asking civilians to report crimes to the ULA on 1 August. In response, the Tatmadaw started strengthening its troops numbers in the state, increasing inspections of homes at night, and maintaining a list of visitors from outside Rakhine. Pe Than, a former MP of the Pyithu Hluttaw from Myebon Township, told Radio Free Asia in September 2021 that the Arakan Army controlled 80% of the region while the junta's administrative system had collapsed. Clashes between the Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw broke out on 9 November, the first time since the ceasefire came in effect, to the north of Maungdaw. The group accused the Tatmadaw of provoking the fighting by entering an area controlled by it. The military, however, denied it had clashed with them, stating that it had only fought ARSA. 2022 Aung Thaung Shwe, a former MP of the Pyithu Hluttaw, told Radio Free Asia in January 2022 that people of Rakhine State were increasingly relying on the Arakan Army's judicial system and crime had significantly dropped since the group took over the state's judiciary. Pe Than estimated that the group controlled two-thirds of Rakhine and added that the military was finding it difficult to move freely in the state. Soldiers from the 352nd Light Infantry Battalion attacked an outpost of Arakan Army in Letpan mountains near Mee Taik village, located in Maungdaw, on 4 February. This resulted in the death of an Arakan Army member. The two sides clashed again on 6 February for three hours, and the Arakan Army ambushed a vehicle of the Tatmadaw on the following day. At least seven soldiers and two civilians were known to have been killed in the clashes. It later attacked two columns of the Tatmadaw in Wai Lar mountains in northern Maungdaw, with The Irrawaddy stating that dozens of soldiers were killed and several captured. The clashes however ceased after negotiations between the two sides. The Arakan Army threatened to resume hostilities in April 2022, in response to