Myanmar claims Rohingyas killed 163

YANGON : At least 163 people have been killed and 91 others have gone missing over the past year in attacks carried out by Rohingya Muslim militants in the restive Rakhine state, Myanmar government officials said.

The comments on Tuesday came after the bodies of at least 45 Hindus were discovered in three mass graves earlier in the week. The government blames Muslim insurgents for the killings.

The government’s Information Committee released a statement on its Facebook page saying that from October 2016 to August 2017, at least 79 people were killed in the attacks and 37 have gone missing, including local officials, public servants and security forces. Another 84 were killed and 54 have gone missing since August 25, when the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) launched attacks on at least 30 police outposts.

The government had previously said nearly 400 alleged insurgents had been killed since August 25.

On Monday, Myanmar officials said they had discovered at least 45 slain Hindus in three mass graves in conflict-torn northern Rakhine state. Twentyeight were uncovered from two mass graves on Sunday and 17 were discovered in a different mass grave in the same area on Monday.

Local authorities said the 45 bodies were among about 100 Hindus missing since ARSA carried out the simultaneous attacks on the police outposts.

“We are still searching for more mass graves in that same area,” said Maj Zayar Nyein of Border Guard Police Headquarters in Maungdaw.