Violence continues in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

MAUNGDAW: Gun shots rang out across northern Rakhine State on Saturday afternoon as clashes continued between suspected Rohingya militants and Myanmar security forces, officials said, a day after fighting killed 89 people and forced civilians to flee remote villages.

The state has become a crucible of religious hatred focused on the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority, who are reviled and perceived as illegal immigrants in Buddhist- majority Myanmar.

Hundreds of men from the persecuted Muslim group appear to have organised under the banner of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which claims to be leading the insurgency that has scorched the area since October last year.

Three village officials were killed overnight near the town of Maungdaw, according to the office of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi -- Myanmar’s de facto leader.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh said it will not allow any more Rohingyas to enter the country which is already hosting about 400,000 Myanmar nationals who have caused “massive” social, economic and environmental problems.

UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres expressed concern over the attacks and hoped that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Clashes erupted between Rohingya militants and Myanmar security forces in the Rakhine State after militants attacked border police. The fighting has killed 89 people and forced thousands of civilians - Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine - to flee their homes.