The Myanmar security forces have stated that there are ongoing operations in 25 locations in Arakan state; ARSA claims to have carried out “defensive” operations in 25 locations (presumably these locations are corresponding).
What seems likely is that the army has targeted civilians at least partially in an attempt to provoke a response from ARSA; not to draw them out and destroy them, but to create an appearance of power equivalence and to potentially boost ARSA recruitment so as to justify broader and more brutal “clearance operations” and to essentially occupy valuable acreage.