Violence escalates between Myanmar forces and Rohingya

Violence between a persecuted Muslim population and Myanmar security forces escalated over the weekend as two soldiers were killed by crudely armed attackers, according to government officials and Muslim residents. In retaliation, troops of the Buddhist-majority government burned villages deep in the forest.

The remote enclave of northern Rakhine state close to the Bangladesh border has been under siege since the government sent security forces to hunt for what it says were armed Rohingya assailants who killed nine police officers at three outposts in early October.

Since then, human rights groups have received reports of killings of unarmed Rohingya men by Myanmar soldiers; rapes in villages of Rohingya women by soldiers; and beatings of Rohingya men held in detention in the town of Maungdaw. At least 30 Rohingya civilians, and possibly as many as 100, may have been killed, the groups say.