In the latter half of 1954, the mujahideen again began to carry out attacks on local authorities and military units stationed around Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung. Hundreds of ethnic Rakhine Buddhists began hunger strikes in Rangoon (present-day Yangon) in protest,[1] and the government subsequently launched Operation Monsoon in October 1954.[2] The Tatmadaw managed to capture the main strongholds of the mujahideen and managed to kill several of their leaders.