A U.N. official on Tuesday (May 14) has urged Myanmar to grant aid workers "predictable, sustained access" to Rakhine state, where fighting between government troops and rebels has displaced nearly 33,000 people since late last year, saying lack of aid has cost lives.

'People are dying': U.N official urges Myanmar to grant aid access to Rakhine state

Rakhine villagers trapped by a Myanmar army lockdown said Tuesday they are fast running out of water as the operation against suspected ethnic rebels -- which killed six and saw mass detentions -- entered a third week.

Thousands of troops have been deployed across northern Rakhine to root out Arakan Army (AA) insurgents in violence which has displaced more than 30,000 people since December.

Myanmar's armed forces are using heavy artillery against the AA, who are fighting for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, but civilians say they have been caught up in the operations.

Complex ethnic and religious divisions cut across Rakhine state.

It was also the scene of the military's brutal crackdown against Rohingya Muslims in 2017, which forced some 740,000 over the border into Bangladesh in violence branded as "genocide" by UN investigators.

On 30 April, security forces raided the ethnic Rakhine village of Kyauk Tan in Rathedaung township, taking 275 men for interrogation at a school.

They admitted shooting dead six detainees and wounding eight more two days later, claiming the men tried to attack them.

Eight men have been arrested and taken to state capital Sittwe, military spokesperson Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun said, adding that six of them had confessed to being AA members.

He said all the remaining detainees were released Monday.

But residents told AFP by phone Tuesday the village remained sealed off -- and food and water supplies were running dangerously low.

"Both humans and animals are thirsty as we still cannot go outside the village," said village elder Tun Thein, 56.

"Some animals have died from starvation and thirst," he said, adding soldiers were still preventing residents from moving freely.

Another woman, asking not to be named, said the villagers were forced to boil "muddy water" to drink.

Zaw Min Tun said as far as he knew the only people still facing constraints were the released detainees in case they were needed for "further investigation".

Access to the north of Rakhine state is heavily restricted, making independent verification difficult.

In the absence of oversight, fears are mounting of military impunity. &nbsp;

Zaw Naing was one of the final detainees released from the school Monday.

He told AFP three of his family were among those shot dead during the ordeal and said residents were still "living in fear".

The AA has denied the villagers were rebels.

Three other ethnic Rakhine men died in military custody last month.

Rakhine villagers trapped by a Myanmar army lockdown said Tuesday they are fast running out of water as the operation against suspected ethnic rebels -- which killed six and saw mass detentions -- entered a third week.

Rakhine villagers trapped by a Myanmar army lockdown said Tuesday they are fast running out of water as the operation against suspected ethnic rebels -- which killed six and saw mass detentions -- entered a third week. Thousands of troops have been deployed across northern Rakhine to root out Arakan Army (AA) insurgents in violence which has displaced more than 30,000 people since December. Myanmar's armed forces are using heavy artillery against the AA, who are fighting for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, but civilians say they have been caught up in the operations. Complex ethnic and religious divisions cut across Rakhine state. It was also the scene of the military's brutal crackdown against Rohingya Muslims in 2017, which forced some 740,000 over the border into Bangladesh in violence branded as "genocide" by UN investigators. On 30 April, security forces raided the ethnic Rakhine village of Kyauk Tan in Rathedaung township, taking 275 men for interrogation at a school. They admitted shooting dead six detainees and wounding eight more two days later, claiming the men tried to attack them. Eight men have been arrested and taken to state capital Sittwe, military spokesperson Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun said, adding that six of them had confessed to being AA members. He said all the remaining detainees were released Monday. But residents told AFP by phone Tuesday the village remained sealed off -- and food and water supplies were running dangerously low. "Both humans and animals are thirsty as we still cannot go outside the village," said village elder Tun Thein, 56. "Some animals have died from starvation and thirst," he said, adding soldiers were still preventing residents from moving freely. Another woman, asking not to be named, said the villagers were forced to boil "muddy water" to drink. Zaw Min Tun said as far as he knew the only people still facing constraints were the released detainees in case they were needed for "further investigation". Access to the north of Rakhine state is heavily restricted, making independent verification difficult. In the absence of oversight, fears are mounting of military impunity. Zaw Naing was one of the final detainees released from the school Monday. He told AFP three of his family were among those shot dead during the ordeal and said residents were still "living in fear". The AA has denied the villagers were rebels. Three other ethnic Rakhine men died in military custody last month.

'Dead livestock and water running out' in Myanmar village under army lockdown

After relentless diplomatic pressure and global outrage, fallen democracy icon <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/amnesty-international-strips-myanmars-suu-kyi-of-conscience-award-176943">Aung San Suu Kyi </a>finally decided that a pardon for two Myanmar journalists jailed for reporting on a Rohingya massacre was the only way to resolve an issue that has dogged her government for nearly 18 months.

Observers say the unexpected release of the two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-journalists-jailed-in-myanmar-freed-from-prison-216559">Reuters reporters</a> was a political decision timed to save face for the country's civilian leader, after a vigorous international campaign that saw Amal Clooney join their legal team, Time magazine put the pair on their cover, and journalism awards and honours pile up -- including the prestigious Pulitzer Prize.

A presidential pardon freed Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, from prison on Tuesday to a media frenzy and messages of congratulations from the White House to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The pair spent more than 500 days behind bars under colonial-era state secrets convictions after probing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown.

Global attention on the reporters and the damage already done to the country's reputation were "potentially costly" to the government, said independent analyst Richard Horsey.

Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi -- already seen as a pariah by many for perceived complicity in the Rohingya's plight -- provoked outcry when she refused to intervene, insisting "rule of law" must be followed.

The abrupt decision to release the pair this week was made because <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-to-release-6500-prisoners-in-amnesty-on-tuesday-says-president-216638">Myanmar</a>'s leaders had "taken into consideration the long-term interest of (the) country", said government spokesman Zaw Htay.

Retired Thai diplomat Kobsak Chutikul, who has worked in an advisory capacity to Suu Kyi's government, told AFP that senior officials had all known a pardon must be granted at some point but "nobody felt they could bring this up with her".

Political timing was also a factor, observers say.

Myanmar is due to go to the polls next year and this was a chance to "get it out of the way" beforehand rather than risk overshadowing the vote, Kobsak said.

'Albatross round their necks'

Behind the international condemnation, backroom diplomacy appears to have played a key role in convincing Suu Kyi to pardon the reporters.

One man waiting among the crowds outside the gates of Yangon's notorious Insein Prison was British health expert Lord Ara Darzi, whose name barely came up during regular media coverage of the saga.

A close confidant of Suu Kyi, he has regularly visited the country over the past two years in an advisory role on a Rakhine state commission.

But he has known the leaders for years, and hosted her in London after her release from house arrest.

"From what I hear, he finally found the opportunity to convince Suu Kyi this was an albatross hanging round their necks," said Kobsak, who served alongside Darzi on another Myanmar government commission.

The discussion would have taken place "behind the scenes, in quiet conversations in her house", he added.

Darzi later hinted about his role to reporters at a press conference following the journalists' release.

"The lesson is simple: dialogue works even in the most difficult of circumstances," he said.

Presidential pardons are traditionally granted around the Myanmar new year in April.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were freed in the third amnesty in just over a week that saw a total of 23,000 prisoners released.

The pair were handed a seven-year jail sentence last September, upheld first by Yangon's High Court and then the country's Supreme Court last month.

Reuters maintained the duo were imprisoned in retaliation for their expose, while legal experts argued the case was riddled with irregularities.

With the judicial process having run its course all the way to Myanmar's top court, Suu Kyi "may have been convinced the twisted passage of justice had been served," Yangon-based analyst David Mathieson said, calling her change of heart a "political calculation".

Despite the release, observers warn against reading too much into prospects for greater press freedom in the beleaguered democracy, which began a troubled transition from military rule in 2010.

"The pardon will not change the conditions that journalists (in Myanmar) are facing," said activist Cheery Zahau.

After relentless diplomatic pressure and global outrage, fallen democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi finally decided that a pardon for two Myanmar journalists jailed for reporting on a Rohingya massacre was the only way to resolve an issue that has dogged her government for nearly 18 months.

After relentless diplomatic pressure and global outrage, fallen democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi finally decided that a pardon for two Myanmar journalists jailed for reporting on a Rohingya massacre was the only way to resolve an issue that has dogged her government for nearly 18 months. Observers say the unexpected release of the two Reuters reporters was a political decision timed to save face for the country's civilian leader, after a vigorous international campaign that saw Amal Clooney join their legal team, Time magazine put the pair on their cover, and journalism awards and honours pile up -- including the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. A presidential pardon freed Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, from prison on Tuesday to a media frenzy and messages of congratulations from the White House to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The pair spent more than 500 days behind bars under colonial-era state secrets convictions after probing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown. Global attention on the reporters and the damage already done to the country's reputation were "potentially costly" to the government, said independent analyst Richard Horsey. Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi -- already seen as a pariah by many for perceived complicity in the Rohingya's plight -- provoked outcry when she refused to intervene, insisting "rule of law" must be followed. The abrupt decision to release the pair this week was made because Myanmar's leaders had "taken into consideration the long-term interest of (the) country", said government spokesman Zaw Htay. Retired Thai diplomat Kobsak Chutikul, who has worked in an advisory capacity to Suu Kyi's government, told AFP that senior officials had all known a pardon must be granted at some point but "nobody felt they could bring this up with her". Political timing was also a factor, observers say. Myanmar is due to go to the polls next year and this was a chance to "get it out of the way" beforehand rather than risk overshadowing the vote, Kobsak said. 'Albatross round their necks' Behind the international condemnation, backroom diplomacy appears to have played a key role in convincing Suu Kyi to pardon the reporters. One man waiting among the crowds outside the gates of Yangon's notorious Insein Prison was British health expert Lord Ara Darzi, whose name barely came up during regular media coverage of the saga. A close confidant of Suu Kyi, he has regularly visited the country over the past two years in an advisory role on a Rakhine state commission. But he has known the leaders for years, and hosted her in London after her release from house arrest. "From what I hear, he finally found the opportunity to convince Suu Kyi this was an albatross hanging round their necks," said Kobsak, who served alongside Darzi on another Myanmar government commission. The discussion would have taken place "behind the scenes, in quiet conversations in her house", he added. Darzi later hinted about his role to reporters at a press conference following the journalists' release. "The lesson is simple: dialogue works even in the most difficult of circumstances," he said. Presidential pardons are traditionally granted around the Myanmar new year in April. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were freed in the third amnesty in just over a week that saw a total of 23,000 prisoners released. The pair were handed a seven-year jail sentence last September, upheld first by Yangon's High Court and then the country's Supreme Court last month. Reuters maintained the duo were imprisoned in retaliation for their expose, while legal experts argued the case was riddled with irregularities. With the judicial process having run its course all the way to Myanmar's top court, Suu Kyi "may have been convinced the twisted passage of justice had been served," Yangon-based analyst David Mathieson said, calling her change of heart a "political calculation". Despite the release, observers warn against reading too much into prospects for greater press freedom in the beleaguered democracy, which began a troubled transition from military rule in 2010. "The pardon will not change the conditions that journalists (in Myanmar) are facing," said activist Cheery Zahau.

Suu Kyi tries to save face with Myanmar reporters' release

A total of 12 suspected Rohingyas from Bangladesh were arrested in Mizoram for entering the state without valid travel documents, a police officer said on Monday.

Eight women and four boys from Bangladesh were taken from a house to Bawngkawn police station here on Sunday, Deputy Inspector of Police (Northern Range) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said.

It is suspected that they were victims of human trafficking.

Khiangte said the arrested people had some mobile phones without SIM cards in their possession. An investigation is on to find out their identities.

The 12 people were found in the residence of a woman who claimed that her cousin who lives at Tahan in Myanmar had asked her favour to keep the 'guests' before being taken to the neighbouring country.

In late April, eight Rohingya women were detained at India-Myanmar border Vairengte town for trying to enter Mizoram illegally and were pushed back.

They had claimed that they were from Kutupalong refugee camp at Sabulara in Bangladesh and were abducted by a group of men on April 19 and brought them to Mizoram by truck.

More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled from Myanmar's Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh since August 2017 after a military crackdown, triggering a massive refugee crisis.&nbsp;

A total of 12 suspected Rohingyas from Bangladesh were arrested in Mizoram for entering the state without valid travel documents, a police officer said on Monday.

A total of 12 suspected Rohingyas from Bangladesh were arrested in Mizoram for entering the state without valid travel documents, a police officer said on Monday. Eight women and four boys from Bangladesh were taken from a house to Bawngkawn police station here on Sunday, Deputy Inspector of Police (Northern Range) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said. It is suspected that they were victims of human trafficking. Khiangte said the arrested people had some mobile phones without SIM cards in their possession. An investigation is on to find out their identities. The 12 people were found in the residence of a woman who claimed that her cousin who lives at Tahan in Myanmar had asked her favour to keep the 'guests' before being taken to the neighbouring country. In late April, eight Rohingya women were detained at India-Myanmar border Vairengte town for trying to enter Mizoram illegally and were pushed back. They had claimed that they were from Kutupalong refugee camp at Sabulara in Bangladesh and were abducted by a group of men on April 19 and brought them to Mizoram by truck. More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled from Myanmar's Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh since August 2017 after a military crackdown, triggering a massive refugee crisis.

12 suspected Rohingyas held in Mizoram

Villagers in Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine state said Monday they are facing food shortages after being hemmed in for nearly a week by the military, which killed six people and continues to detain scores more in a crackdown against suspected rebels.

Thousands of troops have been redeployed to Rakhine state where they are using heavy artillery against the Arakan Army (AA).

The insurgents are fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in violence that has forced more than 30,000 people from their homes since December.

It is the latest unrest in an area riven by complex ethnic and religious divisions in the Buddhist-majority country.&nbsp;

The same northern part of the state also witnessed the military's bloody expulsion of some 740,000 <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-jails-three-rohingya-extremists-for-10-years-214161&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjU3fT6-YbiAhWg_XMBHYBGB3A4ChAWMAh6BAgDEAI&amp;usg=AOvVaw1nz91wxpv2ji4y_PqiT6ZR">Rohingya Muslims</a> in 2017, campaign UN investigators said amounted to genocide.

Last Tuesday security forces stormed<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-troops-kill-six-detain-scores-in-rakhine-over-suspected-rebel-links-military-spokesman-215381&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiru9Lm-YbiAhWX7HMBHbVdBfcQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2VcxdWctKfP7wfOuB0yY39"> Kyauk Tan village</a> in Rathedaung township, separating out 275 men for interrogation in the local school.

Troops admitted killing six detainees two days later and injuring eight more, claiming the men tried to attack and disarm them.

The village has been completely sealed off since the raid and several residents told AFP by phone Monday food supplies were dangerously low.

Those without any land are "really struggling", one woman told AFP by phone, asking not to be named, adding villagers were pooling their meagre supplies.

Another man confirmed the shortages under the army's "bullying" tactics and called for the international community's help.

Rakhine state lawmaker Tin Maung Win told AFP he was "very worried" about the villagers' plight.&nbsp;

He planned to visit the village Tuesday but was unsure security forces would allow him to enter after they turned him away last week.

Military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun denied people were unable to leave.&nbsp;

"People can move around freely," he said, adding it was possible others could not enter.

Access to the north of Rakhine state is heavily restricted, making independent verification difficult.

Zaw Min Tun confirmed 48 more detainees were released Monday, which would leave around 80 still held at the school.

"They warned us there would be harsh repercussions if we travelled to other villages," said Than Han Than, 22, one of the newly-released.

Than May Khin's husband, Khin Maung Htay was one of the men shot dead last week.

"I cannot forgive his killing," the 38-year-old widow said.&nbsp;

Their son -- one of four -- left just before the army operation and did not yet know of his father's death, she added.

The killings followed the deaths in April of three other ethnic Rakhine men in army custody.

Rights groups have condemned the military's "total impunity".

Villagers in Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine state said Monday they are facing food shortages after being hemmed in for nearly a week by the military, which killed six people and continues to detain scores more in a crackdown against suspected rebels.

Villagers in Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine state said Monday they are facing food shortages after being hemmed in for nearly a week by the military, which killed six people and continues to detain scores more in a crackdown against suspected rebels. Thousands of troops have been redeployed to Rakhine state where they are using heavy artillery against the Arakan Army (AA). The insurgents are fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in violence that has forced more than 30,000 people from their homes since December. It is the latest unrest in an area riven by complex ethnic and religious divisions in the Buddhist-majority country. The same northern part of the state also witnessed the military's bloody expulsion of some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims in 2017, campaign UN investigators said amounted to genocide. Last Tuesday security forces stormed Kyauk Tan village in Rathedaung township, separating out 275 men for interrogation in the local school. Troops admitted killing six detainees two days later and injuring eight more, claiming the men tried to attack and disarm them. The village has been completely sealed off since the raid and several residents told AFP by phone Monday food supplies were dangerously low. Those without any land are "really struggling", one woman told AFP by phone, asking not to be named, adding villagers were pooling their meagre supplies. Another man confirmed the shortages under the army's "bullying" tactics and called for the international community's help. Rakhine state lawmaker Tin Maung Win told AFP he was "very worried" about the villagers' plight. He planned to visit the village Tuesday but was unsure security forces would allow him to enter after they turned him away last week. Military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun denied people were unable to leave. "People can move around freely," he said, adding it was possible others could not enter. Access to the north of Rakhine state is heavily restricted, making independent verification difficult. Zaw Min Tun confirmed 48 more detainees were released Monday, which would leave around 80 still held at the school. "They warned us there would be harsh repercussions if we travelled to other villages," said Than Han Than, 22, one of the newly-released. Than May Khin's husband, Khin Maung Htay was one of the men shot dead last week. "I cannot forgive his killing," the 38-year-old widow said. Their son -- one of four -- left just before the army operation and did not yet know of his father's death, she added. The killings followed the deaths in April of three other ethnic Rakhine men in army custody. Rights groups have condemned the military's "total impunity".

Myanmar village in army lockdown 'running out of food'

Myanmar security forces shot dead at least six people in the troubled western state of Rakhine on Thursday, after soldiers and police detained hundreds of people at a school, a military spokesman said.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-jails-three-rohingya-extremists-for-10-years-214161">Bangladesh jails three Rohingya extremists for 10 years</a>

The soldiers had rounded up about 275 people during a search for members of the rebel Arakan Army, said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun from the military`s True News Information Team.

There were conflicting accounts of events leading up to the shooting, which took place in an area off-limits to reporters and most aid agencies.

Zaw Min Tun said some of the detainees attempted to seize weapons in the early hours of the morning, forcing security forces to fire into a crowd.

"We warned them verbally. Then we fired warning shots into the air to disperse the group but they didn`t move, so shots were fired," he said.

Rakhine came to global attention after about 730,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh fleeing a military crackdown in response to militant attacks in 2017.&nbsp;

UN investigators have called for senior military officers to be prosecuted over allegations of mass killings, gang rapes and arson. The military denies widespread wrongdoing.

More recently, civilians have been caught up in clashes between the military and the Arakan Army, an insurgent group that recruits from the mainly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine population and is fighting for greater autonomy for the state.

Since November, the fighting has displaced nearly 33,000 people across a large part of central and northern Rakhine and part of neighbouring Chin state, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.&nbsp;

The military has initiated legal action against two news organisations, accusing them of defamation for reports that detailed the alleged shooting of civilians by soldiers in March.

Zaw Min Tun told Reuters military and police searching the Rathedaung area`s Kyauk Tan village for suspected Arakan Army members found scores of people who were not registered with authorities as living there, so gathered those people in the school.

According to a preliminary investigation, he said, six people were killed after the alleged altercation at 2 am on Thursday.

As well as those killed in the shooting, eight people had been brought to the hospital in nearby Zedi Pyin village with gunshots wounds, said Maung Soe Win, chairman of the Mayu Region Development Association, a local community group, who was at the hospital.&nbsp;

The injured people said they had been detained for two days when one villager with a mental health problem "got up, shouted and ran away in the&nbsp; 
middle of the night", said Maung Soe Win.

"Then (security forces) shot the villagers continuously," he told Reuters by phone.

Another military spokesman, Major General Tun Tun Nyi, said on Thursday afternoon the remaining villagers were still being held at the school and investigated for links to the Arakan Army.

Myanmar security forces shot dead at least six people in the troubled western state of Rakhine on Thursday, after soldiers and police detained hundreds of people at a school, a military spokesman said.

Myanmar security forces shot dead at least six people in the troubled western state of Rakhine on Thursday, after soldiers and police detained hundreds of people at a school, a military spokesman said. Also read: Bangladesh jails three Rohingya extremists for 10 years The soldiers had rounded up about 275 people during a search for members of the rebel Arakan Army, said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun from the military`s True News Information Team. There were conflicting accounts of events leading up to the shooting, which took place in an area off-limits to reporters and most aid agencies. Zaw Min Tun said some of the detainees attempted to seize weapons in the early hours of the morning, forcing security forces to fire into a crowd. "We warned them verbally. Then we fired warning shots into the air to disperse the group but they didn`t move, so shots were fired," he said. Rakhine came to global attention after about 730,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh fleeing a military crackdown in response to militant attacks in 2017. UN investigators have called for senior military officers to be prosecuted over allegations of mass killings, gang rapes and arson. The military denies widespread wrongdoing. More recently, civilians have been caught up in clashes between the military and the Arakan Army, an insurgent group that recruits from the mainly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine population and is fighting for greater autonomy for the state. Since November, the fighting has displaced nearly 33,000 people across a large part of central and northern Rakhine and part of neighbouring Chin state, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The military has initiated legal action against two news organisations, accusing them of defamation for reports that detailed the alleged shooting of civilians by soldiers in March. Zaw Min Tun told Reuters military and police searching the Rathedaung area`s Kyauk Tan village for suspected Arakan Army members found scores of people who were not registered with authorities as living there, so gathered those people in the school. According to a preliminary investigation, he said, six people were killed after the alleged altercation at 2 am on Thursday. As well as those killed in the shooting, eight people had been brought to the hospital in nearby Zedi Pyin village with gunshots wounds, said Maung Soe Win, chairman of the Mayu Region Development Association, a local community group, who was at the hospital. The injured people said they had been detained for two days when one villager with a mental health problem "got up, shouted and ran away in the middle of the night", said Maung Soe Win. "Then (security forces) shot the villagers continuously," he told Reuters by phone. Another military spokesman, Major General Tun Tun Nyi, said on Thursday afternoon the remaining villagers were still being held at the school and investigated for links to the Arakan Army.

Myanmar troops kill six, detain scores in Rakhine over suspected rebel links: Military spokesman

Rakhine rebels locked in a vicious fight with Myanmar's army will not "get peace by praying", its commander said as he vowed his forces will fight on despite being outnumbered and under aerial assault.&nbsp;

The increasingly bloody battle in western Rakhine state is between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), which claims to be fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in one of the country's poorest states.

With the region under strict lockdown, it is difficult to get a precise death toll, though the military has confirmed over 20 of its security forces have been killed by the AA since January.&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters Wednesday from the safety of the Wa region of eastern Shan State, which borders China, AA chief Tun Myat Naing said his forces have no intention of giving up their armed struggle.

"We are not the ones to give up. We have to fight the war," said the bespectacled major-general.&nbsp;

"We will not get peace by praying."&nbsp;

The rebel leader was speaking in Panghsang, home to the United Wa State Army, a normally reclusive group who this week invited journalists and other ethnic leaders to commemorate 30 years of autonomy.&nbsp;

The China-backed Wa have a long-standing ceasefire with Myanmar, which has so far allowed them to operate from a semi-autonomous zone.

Experts allege the well-armed Wa, who have a 25,000-strong standing army, offer training and equipment to several other rebel groups as leverage against Myanmar's central state.

The presence of the AA leader in Panghsang will do little to dilute that perception -- despite vociferous denials by the Wa.

Rakhine in the west -- one of the poorest states in Myanmar -- has long been a tinderbox of complex ethnic and religious divides.&nbsp;

A brutal military campaign in 2017 forced out some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh.

Myanmar's army said the mass expulsion was justified in a campaign to stamp out Rohingya militants known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

With many Rohingya gone, the AA has ramped up its own campaign of ambushes and assassinations.

Fighting has spread across Rakhine and into neighbouring Chin state, displacing more than 20,000 civilians of various ethnicities, while residents in the temple-studded town of Mrauk U, the ancient Rakhine capital, have reported fighter jets streaking across the skies.&nbsp;

Earlier this month a military helicopter attack killed at least six Rohingya, who the army claimed was working with the AA.&nbsp;

Tun Myat Naing rejected the accusation as "groundless."

However, he conceded that there are Rohingya "who are suffering under the repression" of the Myanmar military as well in Rakhine - a rare note of empathy from ethnic Rakhine towards their Muslim neighbours.&nbsp;

Tun Myat Naing said he also met a Chinese official in Wa, a sign the giant neighbour is closely watching events in strategically important parts of Myanmar.&nbsp;

"He asked us not to start an offensive... I asked him to negotiate for both sides," said the rebel army chief.&nbsp;

Rakhine rebels locked in a vicious fight with Myanmar's army will not "get peace by praying", its commander said as he vowed his forces will fight on despite being outnumbered and under aerial assault.

Rakhine rebels locked in a vicious fight with Myanmar's army will not "get peace by praying", its commander said as he vowed his forces will fight on despite being outnumbered and under aerial assault. The increasingly bloody battle in western Rakhine state is between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), which claims to be fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in one of the country's poorest states. With the region under strict lockdown, it is difficult to get a precise death toll, though the military has confirmed over 20 of its security forces have been killed by the AA since January. Speaking to reporters Wednesday from the safety of the Wa region of eastern Shan State, which borders China, AA chief Tun Myat Naing said his forces have no intention of giving up their armed struggle. "We are not the ones to give up. We have to fight the war," said the bespectacled major-general. "We will not get peace by praying." The rebel leader was speaking in Panghsang, home to the United Wa State Army, a normally reclusive group who this week invited journalists and other ethnic leaders to commemorate 30 years of autonomy. The China-backed Wa have a long-standing ceasefire with Myanmar, which has so far allowed them to operate from a semi-autonomous zone. Experts allege the well-armed Wa, who have a 25,000-strong standing army, offer training and equipment to several other rebel groups as leverage against Myanmar's central state. The presence of the AA leader in Panghsang will do little to dilute that perception -- despite vociferous denials by the Wa. Rakhine in the west -- one of the poorest states in Myanmar -- has long been a tinderbox of complex ethnic and religious divides. A brutal military campaign in 2017 forced out some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh. Myanmar's army said the mass expulsion was justified in a campaign to stamp out Rohingya militants known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). With many Rohingya gone, the AA has ramped up its own campaign of ambushes and assassinations. Fighting has spread across Rakhine and into neighbouring Chin state, displacing more than 20,000 civilians of various ethnicities, while residents in the temple-studded town of Mrauk U, the ancient Rakhine capital, have reported fighter jets streaking across the skies. Earlier this month a military helicopter attack killed at least six Rohingya, who the army claimed was working with the AA. Tun Myat Naing rejected the accusation as "groundless." However, he conceded that there are Rohingya "who are suffering under the repression" of the Myanmar military as well in Rakhine - a rare note of empathy from ethnic Rakhine towards their Muslim neighbours. Tun Myat Naing said he also met a Chinese official in Wa, a sign the giant neighbour is closely watching events in strategically important parts of Myanmar. "He asked us not to start an offensive... I asked him to negotiate for both sides," said the rebel army chief.

Defiant Rakhine rebels say 'no peace by prayer' in battle with Myanmar army

Arakan Army rebels overran a police base in Rakhine state, killing two officers and one of their wives, the Myanmar government said on Wednesday, as fresh fighting broke out in a historic Buddhist temple town popular with tourists.

The Information Ministry said around 200 insurgents stormed a police headquarters in Mrauk U before being repelled, but that they abducted four women and three children as they left.

“According to information from the Myanmar police force, the AA (committed an act of) terrorism by attacking a family dormitory and taking unrelated family members like wives and children,” the ministry said in a post on its website.

Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha said rebels had attacked a police outpost in Mrauk U - where clashes in March wounded six people - but denied they had killed or abducted any civilians.

He denied the site had any dormitory, saying rather that heavy weapons were stored there. “They were shooting from that camp and so it affected the people. So the Rakhine army cleared that. There were many casualties on the Myanmar military side.”

Rakhine came to global attention in 2017 when the Myanmar army drove about 730,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims from the state across the border into neighbouring Bangladesh, following attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police posts.

More recently, the military has been battling another armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, which draws recruits mostly from the ethnic Rakhine population, who are mainly Buddhists, and is fighting for greater autonomy for the western state.

Government warplanes began strikes on Mrauk U late on Tuesday night, according to two residents, who said a one-year-old child was hospitalised.

“I don’t know whether they are fighting with AA or not,” a local monk, Myo Oo Khaung Sayataw, said on Wednesday as aircraft could be heard flying overhead.

“I saw them shooting from the planes. We don’t dare to go out to the town. The planes are still flying.”

A hotel owner in Mrauk U, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, said his roof had been damaged by bullets fired from the air.

“I have never experienced this before. The business is not good anymore. We cannot expect guests to come because this is happening.”

Arakan Army rebels overran a police base in Rakhine state, killing two officers and one of their wives, the Myanmar government said on Wednesday, as fresh fighting broke out in a historic Buddhist temple town popular with tourists.

Arakan Army rebels overran a police base in Rakhine state, killing two officers and one of their wives, the Myanmar government said on Wednesday, as fresh fighting broke out in a historic Buddhist temple town popular with tourists. The Information Ministry said around 200 insurgents stormed a police headquarters in Mrauk U before being repelled, but that they abducted four women and three children as they left. “According to information from the Myanmar police force, the AA (committed an act of) terrorism by attacking a family dormitory and taking unrelated family members like wives and children,” the ministry said in a post on its website. Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha said rebels had attacked a police outpost in Mrauk U - where clashes in March wounded six people - but denied they had killed or abducted any civilians. He denied the site had any dormitory, saying rather that heavy weapons were stored there. “They were shooting from that camp and so it affected the people. So the Rakhine army cleared that. There were many casualties on the Myanmar military side.” Rakhine came to global attention in 2017 when the Myanmar army drove about 730,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims from the state across the border into neighbouring Bangladesh, following attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police posts. More recently, the military has been battling another armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, which draws recruits mostly from the ethnic Rakhine population, who are mainly Buddhists, and is fighting for greater autonomy for the western state. Government warplanes began strikes on Mrauk U late on Tuesday night, according to two residents, who said a one-year-old child was hospitalised. “I don’t know whether they are fighting with AA or not,” a local monk, Myo Oo Khaung Sayataw, said on Wednesday as aircraft could be heard flying overhead. “I saw them shooting from the planes. We don’t dare to go out to the town. The planes are still flying.” A hotel owner in Mrauk U, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, said his roof had been damaged by bullets fired from the air. “I have never experienced this before. The business is not good anymore. We cannot expect guests to come because this is happening.”

Myanmar rebels storm police base in Rakhine state amid fresh clashes in temple town

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine rebels in Mrauk U, the ancient capital of the Rakhine kingdom, has left at least eight locals injured, scaring tourists and sparking fears that the historical monuments are under threat.

Ethnic and religious tensions divide western Rakhine state, where the army forced out some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims in a brutal crackdown in 2017.

Now the military is waging war against the Arakan Army (AA), which claims to represent ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and has killed 22 officers since early January.

Over the weekend the conflict spread to Mrauk U, renowned for its ancient temples and popular with hardier travellers.

"About eight injured people are still getting treatment at Mrauk U hospital," Aung Than Tun, chairman of Garuna Hlaing Blood Donors Association in Mrauk U, told AFP on Wednesday.

He also confirmed the deaths of two men from a nearby village, who were wounded last week from the fighting.

A British tourist posted videos on Twitter of him and his fiancee exploring the temples on Sunday, clearly worried by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/six-wounded-in-gunfire-as-myanmar-soldiers-hunt-insurgents-in-temple-town-204371">sound of gunfire and explosions outside</a>.

Christopher Caddy told AFP they thought it was just military training -- until they came out of one temple and realised the vendors and security had fled.

It suddenly felt "more real", he said, adding that a local arrived on a moped to pick up friends and he told them to get out as well.

As they cycled back to their hotel, they could see soldiers in "combat positions behind the ruins" of a neighbouring pagoda.

Hotels contacted by AFP had no guests left.

One staff member, requesting anonymity, said his hotel had been hit in the crossfire on Sunday night.

"The windows of our hotel were destroyed in the shooting," he said.

Local historian Khin Than told AFP she did not dare to go assess the damage done to the monuments yet.

"There are still armed groups deployed in the hills nearby," she said by phone. "We are still scared."

Myanmar hopes to obtain UNESCO world heritage status for Mrauk U, and the Myanmar Archaeology Association Monday expressed concerns that the ongoing clashes might affect its nomination.

It issued an emergency appeal for all sides to demarcate the town as a "fire-free zone".

The army said they deployed troops to downtown Mrauk U after receiving a tip-off the AA was going to mount an attack.

The insurgent group could not be reached for comment.

Authorities have vowed to crush the rebellion, which has simmered since the group's formation in 2009.

The rebels enjoy widespread support from ethnic Rakhine, who have felt marginalised for decades in one of the country's poorest states.

But thousands have been displaced by the spreading violence which is also edging closer to the state capital Sittwe.

Much of Rakhine is in a strict lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently.

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine rebels in Mrauk U, the ancient capital of the Rakhine kingdom, has left at least eight locals injured, scaring tourists and sparking fears that the historical monuments are under threat.

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine rebels in Mrauk U, the ancient capital of the Rakhine kingdom, has left at least eight locals injured, scaring tourists and sparking fears that the historical monuments are under threat. Ethnic and religious tensions divide western Rakhine state, where the army forced out some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims in a brutal crackdown in 2017. Now the military is waging war against the Arakan Army (AA), which claims to represent ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and has killed 22 officers since early January. Over the weekend the conflict spread to Mrauk U, renowned for its ancient temples and popular with hardier travellers. "About eight injured people are still getting treatment at Mrauk U hospital," Aung Than Tun, chairman of Garuna Hlaing Blood Donors Association in Mrauk U, told AFP on Wednesday. He also confirmed the deaths of two men from a nearby village, who were wounded last week from the fighting. A British tourist posted videos on Twitter of him and his fiancee exploring the temples on Sunday, clearly worried by the sound of gunfire and explosions outside. Christopher Caddy told AFP they thought it was just military training -- until they came out of one temple and realised the vendors and security had fled. It suddenly felt "more real", he said, adding that a local arrived on a moped to pick up friends and he told them to get out as well. As they cycled back to their hotel, they could see soldiers in "combat positions behind the ruins" of a neighbouring pagoda. Hotels contacted by AFP had no guests left. One staff member, requesting anonymity, said his hotel had been hit in the crossfire on Sunday night. "The windows of our hotel were destroyed in the shooting," he said. Local historian Khin Than told AFP she did not dare to go assess the damage done to the monuments yet. "There are still armed groups deployed in the hills nearby," she said by phone. "We are still scared." Myanmar hopes to obtain UNESCO world heritage status for Mrauk U, and the Myanmar Archaeology Association Monday expressed concerns that the ongoing clashes might affect its nomination. It issued an emergency appeal for all sides to demarcate the town as a "fire-free zone". The army said they deployed troops to downtown Mrauk U after receiving a tip-off the AA was going to mount an attack. The insurgent group could not be reached for comment. Authorities have vowed to crush the rebellion, which has simmered since the group's formation in 2009. The rebels enjoy widespread support from ethnic Rakhine, who have felt marginalised for decades in one of the country's poorest states. But thousands have been displaced by the spreading violence which is also edging closer to the state capital Sittwe. Much of Rakhine is in a strict lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently.

Eight injured in Myanmar temple town violence

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine insurgents has now reached the ancient temples of Mrauk U, the former capital of the Rakhine kingdom and a popular tourist site, local residents said Monday.

Rakhine state in Myanmar's west is riven with ethnic and religious divisions.

It came under the global spotlight after the bloody 2017 army crackdown that forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh.

But now the army is waging war against the Arakan Army (AA), an insurgent group fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, a population that also stands accused of aiding the military in their expulsion of the Rohingya.

Several thousand people have been displaced by the spreading violence which has neared the state capital Sittwe and has now engulfed the town of Mrauk U.

"We've been hearing gunshots and heavy artillery fire since about 7:30 pm," local historian Khin Than told AFP by phone on Monday evening, adding that she saw soldiers shooting from about 10 vehicles as they drove around town.

"We dare not go outside and are hiding in our homes," she said. "We do not want our ancient treasures destroyed in the fighting." Among the most vulnerable are some 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Rakhine without citizenship, restricted to either camps or their villages.

Fighting over the weekend raged around the town of Kyauktaw, wounding three Rohingya, including two teenagers.

"We are stuck in the middle," one Rohingya man told AFP, preferring not to give his name.

"Our injured villagers cannot go anywhere for treatment because of the situation. We can't do anything," he said.

The military ramped up operations against the AA after the armed rebels launched a brazen attack on police posts in early January that killed 13 officers.

The area is in strict lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently.

On Saturday, AA insurgents ambushed a cargo ship on the Kaladan river, temporarily abducting the crew and setting the vessel on fire, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar said.

The rebels enjoy widespread support from many ethnic Rakhine, who have felt marginalised for decades in one of the country's poorest states.

The group has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits.

It is feared the expected verdict on Tuesday in the trial of a popular Rakhine politician for alleged treason could be a further flashpoint in Sittwe.

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine insurgents has now reached the ancient temples of Mrauk U, the former capital of the Rakhine kingdom and a popular tourist site, local residents said Monday.

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine insurgents has now reached the ancient temples of Mrauk U, the former capital of the Rakhine kingdom and a popular tourist site, local residents said Monday. Rakhine state in Myanmar's west is riven with ethnic and religious divisions. It came under the global spotlight after the bloody 2017 army crackdown that forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh. But now the army is waging war against the Arakan Army (AA), an insurgent group fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, a population that also stands accused of aiding the military in their expulsion of the Rohingya. Several thousand people have been displaced by the spreading violence which has neared the state capital Sittwe and has now engulfed the town of Mrauk U. "We've been hearing gunshots and heavy artillery fire since about 7:30 pm," local historian Khin Than told AFP by phone on Monday evening, adding that she saw soldiers shooting from about 10 vehicles as they drove around town. "We dare not go outside and are hiding in our homes," she said. "We do not want our ancient treasures destroyed in the fighting." Among the most vulnerable are some 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Rakhine without citizenship, restricted to either camps or their villages. Fighting over the weekend raged around the town of Kyauktaw, wounding three Rohingya, including two teenagers. "We are stuck in the middle," one Rohingya man told AFP, preferring not to give his name. "Our injured villagers cannot go anywhere for treatment because of the situation. We can't do anything," he said. The military ramped up operations against the AA after the armed rebels launched a brazen attack on police posts in early January that killed 13 officers. The area is in strict lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently. On Saturday, AA insurgents ambushed a cargo ship on the Kaladan river, temporarily abducting the crew and setting the vessel on fire, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar said. The rebels enjoy widespread support from many ethnic Rakhine, who have felt marginalised for decades in one of the country's poorest states. The group has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits. It is feared the expected verdict on Tuesday in the trial of a popular Rakhine politician for alleged treason could be a further flashpoint in Sittwe.

Myanmar military fights rebels among ancient Rakhine temples

At least six people were wounded in gunfire as Myanmar soldiers hunted ethnic Rakhine insurgents in the western town of Mrauk U, residents said on Tuesday and a military convoy was ambushed.

Soldiers moved into the historic temple town on Monday night, marking an intensification of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, where security forces have waged a campaign against a militant group called the Arakan Army.

While Rakhine State gained global attention after the army drove about 700,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims across the border into Bangladesh in late 2017, the ethnic Rakhine are largely Buddhist like the majority of Myanmar's people.

The military said in a statement there was "shooting back-and-forth” as insurgents attacked a military convoy approaching Mrauk U before retreating into houses.

Myo Oo Khaung Sayataw, a monk, said he had taken six people to hospital and that a seven-year-old girl with burn wounds was among the casualties.

“I went out to the wounded people, because no one dared to go out,” he said. “I saw six military cars, they were shooting everywhere.”

Mrauk U, the former capital of an ancient kingdom, is popular with foreign travellers visiting its hundreds of centuries-old pagodas, which Myanmar wants classified as a World Heritage Site.

Two British tourists said they heard gunfire and explosions on Sunday.

Christopher Caddy, 32, who lives in Manchester, posted a video on Twitter showed him and his fiancee wandering through a temple.

“If you’re wondering what that noise is outside that’s just the Myanmar army just firing rifles and exploding stuff,” Caddy said.

“We were in the temple for maybe five minutes when we first heard all the shots and explosions,” he told Reuters. “A few minutes later, when I noticed that the gunfire was still continuing I started filming.”

Residents of Mrauk U said the clashes had made them frightened to leave home.

“I don’t dare go out, because of the gunfire,” said Shwe Tun Aung. “I closed my door and am still in the house until now. The situation is not good, civilians are in trouble.”

Military spokesmen did not answer calls from Reuters seeking comment, but a statement posted on Senior General Min Aung Hlaing's website portrayed the fighting as an ambush.

“AA terrorists attacked a military convoy while the convoy was marching into Mrauk U town for security,” the statement said. “AA terrorists took cover in civilian houses.”

A spokesman for the insurgents did not answer phone calls.

Violence intensified

Myanmar’s leaders have vowed to crush the rebels, who are fighting for autonomy for Rakhine, and the violence has intensified since early January, when the Arakan Army launched attacks on police that killed 13.

Clashes have spread since, displacing several thousand people, and authorities have declared large parts of the north of the state off-limits to most aid agencies.

The United Nations head in Myanmar, Knut Ostby, said on Tuesday that he was “deeply concerned” by the reports of fighting and urged all sides to ensure the protection of civilians.

The sentencing on Tuesday of two prominent Rakhine nationalists to 20 years in prison for high treason raised fears that unrest could spiral further out of control.

Dr Aye Maung, a politician, and writer Wai Hin Aung, were found guilty by a court in Sittwe, the state capital.

The pair were arrested in January, 2018 over comments made during an event in Mrauk U marking the anniversary of the fall of the independent Rakhine kingdom to the Burmese in 1785, when they allegedly spoke favourably of the Arakan Army.

The ceremony ended in violence, with police shooting dead seven demonstrators and wounding 12.

The long sentence handed to the two men could further escalate conflict, said Sithu Aung Myint, a political analyst.

“The result will make Rakhine people more frustrated,” he said. “It will likely create further instability in the region.”

At least six people were wounded in gunfire as Myanmar soldiers hunted ethnic Rakhine insurgents in the western town of Mrauk U, residents said on Tuesday and a military convoy was ambushed.

At least six people were wounded in gunfire as Myanmar soldiers hunted ethnic Rakhine insurgents in the western town of Mrauk U, residents said on Tuesday and a military convoy was ambushed. Soldiers moved into the historic temple town on Monday night, marking an intensification of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, where security forces have waged a campaign against a militant group called the Arakan Army. While Rakhine State gained global attention after the army drove about 700,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims across the border into Bangladesh in late 2017, the ethnic Rakhine are largely Buddhist like the majority of Myanmar's people. The military said in a statement there was "shooting back-and-forth” as insurgents attacked a military convoy approaching Mrauk U before retreating into houses. Myo Oo Khaung Sayataw, a monk, said he had taken six people to hospital and that a seven-year-old girl with burn wounds was among the casualties. “I went out to the wounded people, because no one dared to go out,” he said. “I saw six military cars, they were shooting everywhere.” Mrauk U, the former capital of an ancient kingdom, is popular with foreign travellers visiting its hundreds of centuries-old pagodas, which Myanmar wants classified as a World Heritage Site. Two British tourists said they heard gunfire and explosions on Sunday. Christopher Caddy, 32, who lives in Manchester, posted a video on Twitter showed him and his fiancee wandering through a temple. “If you’re wondering what that noise is outside that’s just the Myanmar army just firing rifles and exploding stuff,” Caddy said. “We were in the temple for maybe five minutes when we first heard all the shots and explosions,” he told Reuters. “A few minutes later, when I noticed that the gunfire was still continuing I started filming.” Residents of Mrauk U said the clashes had made them frightened to leave home. “I don’t dare go out, because of the gunfire,” said Shwe Tun Aung. “I closed my door and am still in the house until now. The situation is not good, civilians are in trouble.” Military spokesmen did not answer calls from Reuters seeking comment, but a statement posted on Senior General Min Aung Hlaing's website portrayed the fighting as an ambush. “AA terrorists attacked a military convoy while the convoy was marching into Mrauk U town for security,” the statement said. “AA terrorists took cover in civilian houses.” A spokesman for the insurgents did not answer phone calls. Violence intensified Myanmar’s leaders have vowed to crush the rebels, who are fighting for autonomy for Rakhine, and the violence has intensified since early January, when the Arakan Army launched attacks on police that killed 13. Clashes have spread since, displacing several thousand people, and authorities have declared large parts of the north of the state off-limits to most aid agencies. The United Nations head in Myanmar, Knut Ostby, said on Tuesday that he was “deeply concerned” by the reports of fighting and urged all sides to ensure the protection of civilians. The sentencing on Tuesday of two prominent Rakhine nationalists to 20 years in prison for high treason raised fears that unrest could spiral further out of control. Dr Aye Maung, a politician, and writer Wai Hin Aung, were found guilty by a court in Sittwe, the state capital. The pair were arrested in January, 2018 over comments made during an event in Mrauk U marking the anniversary of the fall of the independent Rakhine kingdom to the Burmese in 1785, when they allegedly spoke favourably of the Arakan Army. The ceremony ended in violence, with police shooting dead seven demonstrators and wounding 12. The long sentence handed to the two men could further escalate conflict, said Sithu Aung Myint, a political analyst. “The result will make Rakhine people more frustrated,” he said. “It will likely create further instability in the region.”

Six wounded in gunfire as Myanmar soldiers hunt insurgents in temple town

A woman widowed in the latest deadly attack by ethnic Rakhine rebels called on the army and insurgents to lay down arms and talk, as violence rips through the troubled western Myanmar state.

Rakhine state is riven by ethnic and religious divisions and was the epicentre of the bloody military crackdown against Rohingya Muslims in 2017, which pushed some 740,000 over the border into Bangladesh.

But the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nine-policemen-killed-in-militant-attack-in-myanmars-rakhine-202289">armed forces are now waging war against the Arakan Army</a> (AA), which claims to represent the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhists -- a population that also stands accused of aiding soldiers in their expulsion of the Rohingya.

There is widespread support for the rebels among ethnic Rakhine, who live in one of Myanmar's poorest states.

When Ma Oo Khin's family heard shooting during the attack on Saturday night that left nine officers dead, they fell cowering to the ground.

It was only afterwards the 42-year-old discovered her husband was one of the victims, his body already wrapped in plastic.

With pools of blood still visible in the dust of the ramshackle police compound, she urged both the security forces and the rebels to halt the violence and start talking.

"I want to ask both sides to negotiate with each other. I don't want to see anyone else die," she told AFP.

"The AA is asking for their people's autonomy, but the police are serving the country too."&nbsp;

The rebel group has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits.

A brazen attack against four police posts that killed 13 police officers in early January triggered a major military response.

Thousands of troops have been deployed using heavy artillery against AA positions in northern Rakhine.

The area is in strict lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently.

But several thousand people have been forced from their homes, while assassinations and bomb attacks seed insecurity across the state.&nbsp;

A verdict in the trial of a popular Rakhine politician for alleged treason that could prove to be a further flashpoint, is expected next week.

Aye Maung is accused of inciting Rakhine people in a speech last year to take arms and rise up against the country’s ethnic-Bamar (Burmese) majority.

A woman widowed in the latest deadly attack by ethnic Rakhine rebels called on the army and insurgents to lay down arms and talk, as violence rips through the troubled western Myanmar state.

A woman widowed in the latest deadly attack by ethnic Rakhine rebels called on the army and insurgents to lay down arms and talk, as violence rips through the troubled western Myanmar state. Rakhine state is riven by ethnic and religious divisions and was the epicentre of the bloody military crackdown against Rohingya Muslims in 2017, which pushed some 740,000 over the border into Bangladesh. But the armed forces are now waging war against the Arakan Army (AA), which claims to represent the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhists -- a population that also stands accused of aiding soldiers in their expulsion of the Rohingya. There is widespread support for the rebels among ethnic Rakhine, who live in one of Myanmar's poorest states. When Ma Oo Khin's family heard shooting during the attack on Saturday night that left nine officers dead, they fell cowering to the ground. It was only afterwards the 42-year-old discovered her husband was one of the victims, his body already wrapped in plastic. With pools of blood still visible in the dust of the ramshackle police compound, she urged both the security forces and the rebels to halt the violence and start talking. "I want to ask both sides to negotiate with each other. I don't want to see anyone else die," she told AFP. "The AA is asking for their people's autonomy, but the police are serving the country too." The rebel group has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits. A brazen attack against four police posts that killed 13 police officers in early January triggered a major military response. Thousands of troops have been deployed using heavy artillery against AA positions in northern Rakhine. The area is in strict lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently. But several thousand people have been forced from their homes, while assassinations and bomb attacks seed insecurity across the state. A verdict in the trial of a popular Rakhine politician for alleged treason that could prove to be a further flashpoint, is expected next week. Aye Maung is accused of inciting Rakhine people in a speech last year to take arms and rise up against the country’s ethnic-Bamar (Burmese) majority.

Myanmar woman widowed in Rakhine attack pleads for peace

Bangladesh told the UN Security Council on Thursday that it will no longer be able to take in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-refugees-at-risk-as-cyclone-season-nears-red-cross-198134">refugees from Myanmar</a>.

Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told a council meeting that the crisis over the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya sheltering in his country had gone from "bad to worse" and urged the council to take "decisive" action.

Around 740,000 Muslim <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/three-rohingyas-arrested-from-lumding-railway-station-in-assam-197959">Rohingya are living in camps in Bangladesh</a> after they were driven out of Myanmar's northern Rakhine state during a military campaign in 2017 that the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing.

"Here, I regret to inform the council that Bangladesh would no longer be in a position to accommodate more people from Myanmar," said Haque.

Under a deal reached with Bangladesh, Myanmar agreed to take back some of the refugees, but the United Nations insists that the safety of the Rohingya be a condition for their return.

"Is Bangladesh paying the price for being responsive and responsible in showing empathy to a persecuted minority population of a neighbouring country?" asked the foreign secretary.

After five trips to Myanmar, UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener reported, "slow progress" in efforts to help hundreds of thousands of Rohingya return home and warned that Myanmar's elections next year could worsen the crisis.

The Swiss diplomat, who was appointed in April as UN envoy for Myanmar, said UN agencies had been given "insufficient" access to help prepare the return of the Rohingya.

Myanmar appeals for patience

Myanmar's Ambassador Hau Do Suan insisted his government was taking steps and appealed for patience.&nbsp;

He spoke of "huge physical as well as psychological barriers" in the way of allowing the refugees' return and stressed that "it takes time and patience as well as courage to build trust and confidence among different communities in Rakhine."

China, which has close ties with Myanmar's former military junta, insisted that development aid could help ease tensions in Rakhine and made clear the council should not get involved in addressing the refugee crisis.

"It is up to the two countries to work out a solution," said Chinese Deputy Ambassador Wu Haitao.&nbsp;

In December, Britain circulated a draft resolution that would have forced Myanmar to roll out a strategy for addressing the Rohingya crisis, but China threatened to veto the measure, according to diplomats.

"We are very disappointed that there hasn't been more progress on getting the refugees back," said British Ambassador Karen Pierce.

"The scale of what has been done to the Rohingya Muslims and the allegations of crimes against humanity really mark this out as one of the most terrible events of this century so far," said Pierce.

The UN envoy warned that the election campaign "could add to the domestic complexities" in Myanmar, which is still struggling with a democratic transition after 50 years of military rule.

Myanmar's de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been criticized for failing to speak out to defend the Rohingya, is seeking to consolidate her position ahead of the 2020 vote.

Myanmar's military dominates the Buddhist-majority nation, holding a quarter of seats in parliament and controlling three ministries, making their grip on power firm despite political reforms which began in 2011.

Bangladesh told the UN Security Council on Thursday that it will no longer be able to take in refugees from Myanmar. Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told a council meeting that the crisis over the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya sheltering in his country had gone from "bad to worse" and urged the council to take "decisive" action.

Bangladesh told the UN Security Council on Thursday that it will no longer be able to take in refugees from Myanmar. Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told a council meeting that the crisis over the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya sheltering in his country had gone from "bad to worse" and urged the council to take "decisive" action. Around 740,000 Muslim Rohingya are living in camps in Bangladesh after they were driven out of Myanmar's northern Rakhine state during a military campaign in 2017 that the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing. "Here, I regret to inform the council that Bangladesh would no longer be in a position to accommodate more people from Myanmar," said Haque. Under a deal reached with Bangladesh, Myanmar agreed to take back some of the refugees, but the United Nations insists that the safety of the Rohingya be a condition for their return. "Is Bangladesh paying the price for being responsive and responsible in showing empathy to a persecuted minority population of a neighbouring country?" asked the foreign secretary. After five trips to Myanmar, UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener reported, "slow progress" in efforts to help hundreds of thousands of Rohingya return home and warned that Myanmar's elections next year could worsen the crisis. The Swiss diplomat, who was appointed in April as UN envoy for Myanmar, said UN agencies had been given "insufficient" access to help prepare the return of the Rohingya. Myanmar appeals for patience Myanmar's Ambassador Hau Do Suan insisted his government was taking steps and appealed for patience. He spoke of "huge physical as well as psychological barriers" in the way of allowing the refugees' return and stressed that "it takes time and patience as well as courage to build trust and confidence among different communities in Rakhine." China, which has close ties with Myanmar's former military junta, insisted that development aid could help ease tensions in Rakhine and made clear the council should not get involved in addressing the refugee crisis. "It is up to the two countries to work out a solution," said Chinese Deputy Ambassador Wu Haitao. In December, Britain circulated a draft resolution that would have forced Myanmar to roll out a strategy for addressing the Rohingya crisis, but China threatened to veto the measure, according to diplomats. "We are very disappointed that there hasn't been more progress on getting the refugees back," said British Ambassador Karen Pierce. "The scale of what has been done to the Rohingya Muslims and the allegations of crimes against humanity really mark this out as one of the most terrible events of this century so far," said Pierce. The UN envoy warned that the election campaign "could add to the domestic complexities" in Myanmar, which is still struggling with a democratic transition after 50 years of military rule. Myanmar's de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been criticized for failing to speak out to defend the Rohingya, is seeking to consolidate her position ahead of the 2020 vote. Myanmar's military dominates the Buddhist-majority nation, holding a quarter of seats in parliament and controlling three ministries, making their grip on power firm despite political reforms which began in 2011.

Bangladesh tells UN it will no longer take in Myanmar refugees

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi called for investment in the crisis-hit western state of Rakhine on Friday, saying the world had "focused narrowly on negative aspects" in the state from which some 730,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled since 2017.

On a rare visit to Rakhine, Suu Kyi emphasised responsible business practices as she addressed an investment fair sponsored by Japan in the coastal state`s tourist hotspot of Ngapali beach.

But she made only a brief reference to the conflicts that have roiled areas several hundred kilometres to the north and did not mention the Rohingya. As well as those stuck in Bangladesh, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya and other Muslims remain trapped in camps and villages in Rakhine, where their movements and access to services are restricted.

"For too long the international community`s attention has been focused narrowly on negative aspects related to problems in north Rakhine rather than on the larger picture that shows the immense potential of this state for peace and development," Suu Kyi said.

Her government recognised the "grave challenges" it faced in Rakhine and was doing its utmost to address them, she said.

The Nobel laureate has pledged to make Myanmar more investment-friendly as her government attempts to reverse a drop in foreign investment and tourism from the West since the Rohingya exodus sparked global outrage.

A UN fact-finding mission last year said the 2017 military campaign that pushed out the Rohingya was orchestrated with "genocidal intent". Myanmar denies allegations of mass killings and rape and says its offensive was a legitimate response to an insurgent threat and that it is welcoming the refugees back.

The investment fair was attended by Myanmar officials, UN staff and investors and diplomats mostly from Japan, South Korea and elsewhere in Asia.&nbsp;

Domestic and foreign investment could play a crucial role in the state, Suu Kyi said but warned against irresponsible investments like "unchecked expansion of commercial fishery projects" that could damage Rakhine's coastal mangrove forests.

Some experts warn a focus on economic solutions to Rakhine`s problems could cement the marginalisation of the mostly stateless Rohingya.&nbsp;

A Reuters special report in December revealed that officials had built new homes for Buddhists where the Rohingya once lived, making the return of many refugees to their original homes impossible.

Myanmar says it has been ready to accept returning refugees since January and denies discriminating against Muslims who remain in Rakhine. 
&nbsp;

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi called for investment in the crisis-hit western state of Rakhine on Friday, saying the world had "focused narrowly on negative aspects" in the state from which some 730,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled since 2017.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi called for investment in the crisis-hit western state of Rakhine on Friday, saying the world had "focused narrowly on negative aspects" in the state from which some 730,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled since 2017. On a rare visit to Rakhine, Suu Kyi emphasised responsible business practices as she addressed an investment fair sponsored by Japan in the coastal state`s tourist hotspot of Ngapali beach. But she made only a brief reference to the conflicts that have roiled areas several hundred kilometres to the north and did not mention the Rohingya. As well as those stuck in Bangladesh, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya and other Muslims remain trapped in camps and villages in Rakhine, where their movements and access to services are restricted. "For too long the international community`s attention has been focused narrowly on negative aspects related to problems in north Rakhine rather than on the larger picture that shows the immense potential of this state for peace and development," Suu Kyi said. Her government recognised the "grave challenges" it faced in Rakhine and was doing its utmost to address them, she said. The Nobel laureate has pledged to make Myanmar more investment-friendly as her government attempts to reverse a drop in foreign investment and tourism from the West since the Rohingya exodus sparked global outrage. A UN fact-finding mission last year said the 2017 military campaign that pushed out the Rohingya was orchestrated with "genocidal intent". Myanmar denies allegations of mass killings and rape and says its offensive was a legitimate response to an insurgent threat and that it is welcoming the refugees back. The investment fair was attended by Myanmar officials, UN staff and investors and diplomats mostly from Japan, South Korea and elsewhere in Asia. Domestic and foreign investment could play a crucial role in the state, Suu Kyi said but warned against irresponsible investments like "unchecked expansion of commercial fishery projects" that could damage Rakhine's coastal mangrove forests. Some experts warn a focus on economic solutions to Rakhine`s problems could cement the marginalisation of the mostly stateless Rohingya. A Reuters special report in December revealed that officials had built new homes for Buddhists where the Rohingya once lived, making the return of many refugees to their original homes impossible. Myanmar says it has been ready to accept returning refugees since January and denies discriminating against Muslims who remain in Rakhine.

Myanmar's Suu Kyi woos investors to crisis-hit Rakhine, decries 'negative' focus

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-army-kills-13-in-counterattacks-on-rakhine-rebels-191279">security forces in Myanmar </a>have bombed villages and are blocking civilians from accessing food and humanitarian assistance amid a crackdown targeting rebels in the troubled<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-villagers-flee-fresh-rakhine-state-fighting-enter-bangladesh-195963"> Rakhine State</a>, the Amnesty International said on Monday.

The nonprofit in its latest report citing villagers and local activists said soldiers were also using vague and repressive laws to detain civilians as part of the offensive that began on January 4 when Arakan Army guerrillas raided police stations and killed 13 policemen.

At least 5,200 people, according to the United Nations, have been displaced by the fighting after the army launched the operation to annihilate insurgents, described as terrorists by the government.

"These latest operations are yet another reminder that the Myanmar military operates without any regard for human rights. Shelling inhabited villages and withholding food supplies are unjustifiable under any circumstances," said Tirana Hassan, Director of Crisis Response at Amnesty International.

Hassan accused the Myanmar authorities of "deliberately playing with the lives and livelihoods of civilians".

"As we've seen time and again, the military's priority is not to protect people in the crossfire, but rather to hide their abuses from the international community."

Amnesty reported said that artillery or mortar shells have forced people out of their homes and they return to find their properties looted and damaged.

Authorities have established restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid from international agencies, except the Red Cross and the UN's World Food Program, to five districts where clashes are ongoing, according to the rights group.

A witness told Amnesty that the army was also imposing restrictions on the purchase and sale of commodities such as rice leading to a lack of supply in some areas.

Citing local activists and media reports, Amnesty said the army was also making arbitrary arrests and at<a href="http://13.232.42.114/south-asia/myanmar-activists-charged-after-protesting-independence-hero-statue-196112"> least 26 people have been arrested</a> for violating the law of illegal association with the Arakan Army, a crime punishable by harsh prison sentences.

The Arakan Army, formed in 2009 to achieve greater autonomy for the Buddhist minority Rakhine, is one of the various rebel groups that have taken up arms in the complex web of conflicts plaguing the country.

Rakhine is home to the Rohingyas, a Muslim-majority community, who have been denied citizenship as the government calls them illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

More than 723,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh since August 2017 following an army offensive, which the UN described as an ethnic cleansing and intentional genocide.

The army has denied the accusations and insisted that the operation was in response to an attack by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a guerrilla group, targeting some 30 police posts on August 25, 2017.

Rakhine, which occupies a long coastal strip in western Myanmar, is an area with rich natural resources and a key geostrategic location, but with also one of the highest rates of poverty in the country.

The security forces in Myanmar have bombed villages and are blocking civilians from accessing food and humanitarian assistance amid a crackdown targeting rebels in the troubled Rakhine State, the Amnesty International said on Monday.

The security forces in Myanmar have bombed villages and are blocking civilians from accessing food and humanitarian assistance amid a crackdown targeting rebels in the troubled Rakhine State, the Amnesty International said on Monday. The nonprofit in its latest report citing villagers and local activists said soldiers were also using vague and repressive laws to detain civilians as part of the offensive that began on January 4 when Arakan Army guerrillas raided police stations and killed 13 policemen. At least 5,200 people, according to the United Nations, have been displaced by the fighting after the army launched the operation to annihilate insurgents, described as terrorists by the government. "These latest operations are yet another reminder that the Myanmar military operates without any regard for human rights. Shelling inhabited villages and withholding food supplies are unjustifiable under any circumstances," said Tirana Hassan, Director of Crisis Response at Amnesty International. Hassan accused the Myanmar authorities of "deliberately playing with the lives and livelihoods of civilians". "As we've seen time and again, the military's priority is not to protect people in the crossfire, but rather to hide their abuses from the international community." Amnesty reported said that artillery or mortar shells have forced people out of their homes and they return to find their properties looted and damaged. Authorities have established restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid from international agencies, except the Red Cross and the UN's World Food Program, to five districts where clashes are ongoing, according to the rights group. A witness told Amnesty that the army was also imposing restrictions on the purchase and sale of commodities such as rice leading to a lack of supply in some areas. Citing local activists and media reports, Amnesty said the army was also making arbitrary arrests and at least 26 people have been arrested for violating the law of illegal association with the Arakan Army, a crime punishable by harsh prison sentences. The Arakan Army, formed in 2009 to achieve greater autonomy for the Buddhist minority Rakhine, is one of the various rebel groups that have taken up arms in the complex web of conflicts plaguing the country. Rakhine is home to the Rohingyas, a Muslim-majority community, who have been denied citizenship as the government calls them illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. More than 723,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh since August 2017 following an army offensive, which the UN described as an ethnic cleansing and intentional genocide. The army has denied the accusations and insisted that the operation was in response to an attack by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a guerrilla group, targeting some 30 police posts on August 25, 2017. Rakhine, which occupies a long coastal strip in western Myanmar, is an area with rich natural resources and a key geostrategic location, but with also one of the highest rates of poverty in the country.

Amnesty says Myanmar army shelling villages, blocking aid in Rakhine

The BSF Tuesday handed over the 31 Rohingya Muslims, who were stranded on the India-Bangladesh border for four days, to Tripura Police, even as 30 more community members were apprehended in Assam, officials said.

The 31 Rohingyas, who apparently came from Jammu and Kashmir, had been stuck in no man's land, beyond the barbed wire fence along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura since January 18.

The situation had led to a blame game between the Border Security Force (BSF) and its counterpart -- Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) -- with the two sides accusing each other of pushing them into their territories.

The decision to hand over the Rohingyas to the Tripura Police was taken after the BSF and the BGB failed to reach a decision during talks on the issue.

The 31 Rohingyas underwent a medical check-up and were later produced before a court in West Tripura district which sent them to 14-day judicial custody, the officials said.

Deputy Inspector General of the BSF Brijesh Kumar said, "We took the matter up with the BGB and requested them to take the Rohingyas back to Bangladesh. They denied. Several rounds of talks with the BGB had failed. So, we handed them over to police."

A battalion commander-level meeting was held at the Zero Line on Sunday, the officials said.

Officials in New Delhi said the BSF informed the Home Ministry about the final result of the talks and gave it the situation report.

After receiving the ministry's nod, the BSF signed the papers and handed over the 31 Rohingyas to the staff of the Amtoli police station in West Tripura district police at 11 am, ending the standoff with their Bangladeshi counterparts.

The officials added that the state police will verify the details of the Rohingyas, and the BSF has been asked to render assistance for the task.

It is suspected that these people had travelled to the border area from Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said, adding that the truth can only be established after an investigation.

Pranab Sengupta, officer-in-charge of the Amtali police station, told PTI that the 31 Rohingyas, including nine women and 16 children, were sent to the Tripura Medical College for a check-up and "were found to be alright".

He said the BSF had been providing them with food, water and other essentials.

While the BGB claimed they had come from India, the BSF said they had not as there was no tell-tale sign of breach of the barbed wire fence on the Indian side.

Meanwhile, 30 Rohingyas travelling on a Guwahati-bound bus were apprehended during regular checking in Assam's Churaibari area on Monday night, Superintendent of Police of North Tripura district Bhanupada Chakraborty told PTI.

Churaibari connects Tripura and Assam via National Highway-8.

"Karimganj district police told us that the Rohingyas boarded the Guwahati-bound bus from Agartala," he said.

When produced before a court, all the 30 Rohingyas were sent to jail by a Karimganj court.

The police sought the custody of some of them but Chief Judicial Magistrate Abdul Qadir turned down the plea and asked the authorities to produce them again before him Thursday.

In 2017, 12 Rohingyas were apprehended in Tripura and 62 more were detained in different parts of the state the next year.

In October 2017, the Home Ministry had urged all states to take immediate steps to identify and monitor Rohingya refugees.

It had said that the government viewed infiltration of Rohingyas from Rakhine state of Myanmar into the Indian territory as a burden on the country's limited resources and it aggravated security challenges.&nbsp;

The BSF Tuesday handed over the 31 Rohingya Muslims, who were stranded on the India-Bangladesh border for four days, to Tripura Police, even as 30 more community members were apprehended in Assam, officials said.

The BSF Tuesday handed over the 31 Rohingya Muslims, who were stranded on the India-Bangladesh border for four days, to Tripura Police, even as 30 more community members were apprehended in Assam, officials said. The 31 Rohingyas, who apparently came from Jammu and Kashmir, had been stuck in no man's land, beyond the barbed wire fence along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura since January 18. The situation had led to a blame game between the Border Security Force (BSF) and its counterpart -- Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) -- with the two sides accusing each other of pushing them into their territories. The decision to hand over the Rohingyas to the Tripura Police was taken after the BSF and the BGB failed to reach a decision during talks on the issue. The 31 Rohingyas underwent a medical check-up and were later produced before a court in West Tripura district which sent them to 14-day judicial custody, the officials said. Deputy Inspector General of the BSF Brijesh Kumar said, "We took the matter up with the BGB and requested them to take the Rohingyas back to Bangladesh. They denied. Several rounds of talks with the BGB had failed. So, we handed them over to police." A battalion commander-level meeting was held at the Zero Line on Sunday, the officials said. Officials in New Delhi said the BSF informed the Home Ministry about the final result of the talks and gave it the situation report. After receiving the ministry's nod, the BSF signed the papers and handed over the 31 Rohingyas to the staff of the Amtoli police station in West Tripura district police at 11 am, ending the standoff with their Bangladeshi counterparts. The officials added that the state police will verify the details of the Rohingyas, and the BSF has been asked to render assistance for the task. It is suspected that these people had travelled to the border area from Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said, adding that the truth can only be established after an investigation. Pranab Sengupta, officer-in-charge of the Amtali police station, told PTI that the 31 Rohingyas, including nine women and 16 children, were sent to the Tripura Medical College for a check-up and "were found to be alright". He said the BSF had been providing them with food, water and other essentials. While the BGB claimed they had come from India, the BSF said they had not as there was no tell-tale sign of breach of the barbed wire fence on the Indian side. Meanwhile, 30 Rohingyas travelling on a Guwahati-bound bus were apprehended during regular checking in Assam's Churaibari area on Monday night, Superintendent of Police of North Tripura district Bhanupada Chakraborty told PTI. Churaibari connects Tripura and Assam via National Highway-8. "Karimganj district police told us that the Rohingyas boarded the Guwahati-bound bus from Agartala," he said. When produced before a court, all the 30 Rohingyas were sent to jail by a Karimganj court. The police sought the custody of some of them but Chief Judicial Magistrate Abdul Qadir turned down the plea and asked the authorities to produce them again before him Thursday. In 2017, 12 Rohingyas were apprehended in Tripura and 62 more were detained in different parts of the state the next year. In October 2017, the Home Ministry had urged all states to take immediate steps to identify and monitor Rohingya refugees. It had said that the government viewed infiltration of Rohingyas from Rakhine state of Myanmar into the Indian territory as a burden on the country's limited resources and it aggravated security challenges.

31 Rohingyas stranded on Indo-Bangla border sent to 14-day judicial custody 

Six Myanmar border guard police have been wounded in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/new-myanmar-unrest-panics-rohingya-in-border-limbo-189193">an attack by Rohingya Muslim insurgents</a> in Rakhine state, government media reported on Saturday, amid fears of escalating violence in the region.

About 10 armed attackers from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) ambushed a border guard post near Wet Kyein village in Maungdaw township in the north of the state on Wednesday, according to the government-controlled Myanmar TV network.

A government spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Rakhine has been roiled by violence for weeks since fighting broke out between security forces and another armed group, the Arakan Army (AA).

The AA, which pre-dates ARSA, is a rebel group dominated by ethnic Rakhine Buddhists that has been fighting for autonomy for the western state for around a decade.

ARSA, which emerged with attacks on border posts in 2016, is focused on winning rights for Rohingya, the mostly stateless Muslim minority long persecuted in Myanmar.

Some 5,000 civilians have been forced to flee their homes in the recent violence, according to the United Nations.

A crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in Buddhist-majority Rakhine in 2017 triggered an exodus of about 730,000 Rohingya refugees to neighbouring Bangladesh.

The United Nations and Western governments denounced the military operations as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar has said it was conducting a legitimate offensive against insurgents.

Earlier reports had attributed an attack on Wednesday in the same area to the AA, but an official with the Maungdaw border guard police said ARSA, which had previously attacked the security forces, was responsible.

"At first, it was a preliminary investigation, but now it is sure," Police Lieutenant-Colonel Tin Han Lin told Reuters.

On Friday, Yanghee Lee, UN special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, voiced alarm at the "escalating violence" in Rakhine, and urged both sides to show restraint and protect civilians.

Rakhine has been roiled by violence for weeks since fighting broke out between security forces and another armed group, the Arakan Army (AA).

Six Myanmar border guard police have been wounded in an attack by Rohingya Muslim insurgents in Rakhine state, government media reported on Saturday, amid fears of escalating violence in the region. About 10 armed attackers from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) ambushed a border guard post near Wet Kyein village in Maungdaw township in the north of the state on Wednesday, according to the government-controlled Myanmar TV network. A government spokesman could not be reached for comment. Rakhine has been roiled by violence for weeks since fighting broke out between security forces and another armed group, the Arakan Army (AA). The AA, which pre-dates ARSA, is a rebel group dominated by ethnic Rakhine Buddhists that has been fighting for autonomy for the western state for around a decade. ARSA, which emerged with attacks on border posts in 2016, is focused on winning rights for Rohingya, the mostly stateless Muslim minority long persecuted in Myanmar. Some 5,000 civilians have been forced to flee their homes in the recent violence, according to the United Nations. A crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in Buddhist-majority Rakhine in 2017 triggered an exodus of about 730,000 Rohingya refugees to neighbouring Bangladesh. The United Nations and Western governments denounced the military operations as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar has said it was conducting a legitimate offensive against insurgents. Earlier reports had attributed an attack on Wednesday in the same area to the AA, but an official with the Maungdaw border guard police said ARSA, which had previously attacked the security forces, was responsible. "At first, it was a preliminary investigation, but now it is sure," Police Lieutenant-Colonel Tin Han Lin told Reuters. On Friday, Yanghee Lee, UN special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, voiced alarm at the "escalating violence" in Rakhine, and urged both sides to show restraint and protect civilians.

Rohingya insurgents attack police in western Myanmar, six wounded

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/new-myanmar-unrest-panics-rohingya-in-border-limbo-189193">Myanmar</a>'s government says it has ordered the military to "crush" rebels in the western state of Rakhine, following raids by insurgents that killed 13 police officers earlier this month.

The United Nations says fighting between the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-rohingya-crisis-what-to-watch-for-in-2019-187973">Myanmar military and Arakan Army</a>, which recruits from among the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group, has forced about 5,000 people from their homes in the state in the past month.

The latest violence underscores the complexity of the ethnic divisions that have long scarred Rakhine. In 2017 attacks on security posts in the north of the state by insurgents from the Muslim Rohingya minority provoked a military crackdown that sent more than 730,000 fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN agencies, and sparked the biggest crisis of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi`s young administration.

Aid workers say military aircraft and trucks have been seen arriving in Rakhine since early January - raising fears conflict could intensify once again in the state.

The group`s rise threatens to further undermine Suu Kyi`s hopes of securing peace across Myanmar, but who are the fighters of the Arakan Army, and what do they want?

JADE MINES TO SNIPER RIFLES&nbsp;

The Arakan Army says it formed nearly a decade ago to fight for self-determination for Rakhine, which it says has been exploited by a remote central government.

Many early recruits were ethnic Rakhine Buddhists who had travelled to northern Myanmar to make their fortune toiling in the jade mines there.

They gathered and trained in territory along Myanmar`s border with China that is held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the largest ethnic armed groups still fighting the Myanmar military. Arakan Army fighters have fought the military alongside the KIA as part of a "northern alliance" in northern Shan state since late 2016.

Arakan Army forces have also moved into the rugged western borderlands with India and Bangladesh, where they are believed to number about 3,000. 
In parallel, the group has launched a propaganda push aimed at inspiring an uprising across Rakhine in 2020.

Slick online videos show young men and women insurgents marching, wrestling and firing modern assault weapons and sniper rifles. They often feature the group`s charismatic chief, Twan Mrat Naing, who wears thick-rimmed glasses and a military beret.&nbsp;

ETHNIC GRIEVANCES

The Arakan Army in its propaganda largely steers clear of the communal conflict between Buddhists and Muslims that has riven Rakhine in recent years.&nbsp;

Instead, the group has found fertile ground appealing to a sense of economic and historical injustice directed at the Myanmar state and its Bamar ethnic majority.

Though rich in oil and other natural resources and a focus of China`s Belt and Road Initiative investment drive, Rakhine remains one of Myanmar`s poorest states.

Only 17 per cent of households in the state have access to safe drinking water year-round, far below the proportion elsewhere in Myanmar, according to a 2017 World Bank survey. Nearly 300,000 households there do not have a toilet, it found.

The coastal area now known as Rakhine was historically an independent kingdom, Arakan, until a Burmese invasion in the 18th century. A demonstration in January last year to mark the anniversary of the Arakan kingdom`s overthrow ended in bloodshed when police opened fire on protesters.&nbsp;

The figurehead of the state`s most popular political party, the Arakan National Party (ANP) was arrested soon after with another activist and charged with high treason. They remain on trial. Many ethnic Rakhines resent that Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy installed its own chief minister in the state after taking power in 2016, despite the ANP winning most seats in the state at elections in 2015.

INSURGENT INFILTRATION

After only sporadic encounters with the military in recent years, the Arakan Army has reported at least two dozen clashes with security forces in the last few months. It says it is responding to military aggression in Rakhine that has also targeted civilians.

"Rakhine state must have its own army," Arakan Army chief Twan Mrat Naing told local news site the Irrawaddy this week. "Having an armed group means the survival of the Rakhine ethnicity."

The government describes the group as a terrorist organisation and says it could destabilise the state for years to come.

Analysts say the Arakan Army, which has trained with Kachin rebels, poses a potentially greater military threat than the ill-equipped Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army that precipitated the 2017 crisis.

Arakan Army (AA) fighters appear to be "well-trained and generally extremely well-equipped", said Anthony Davis, a security analyst with Jane`s at IHS-Markit, describing the recent violence as a "watershed" for the conflict.&nbsp;

"What we`ve seen is the AA shifting from a preparatory phase of political and military infiltration into northern Rakhine state that began in 2015," said Davis.

"They`ve now taken it to a much higher level, operating at platoon and even company strength across almost all the townships in the north of the state, and that`s new."

Myanmar's government says it has ordered the military to "crush" rebels in the western state of Rakhine, following raids by insurgents that killed 13 police officers earlier this month.

Myanmar's government says it has ordered the military to "crush" rebels in the western state of Rakhine, following raids by insurgents that killed 13 police officers earlier this month. The United Nations says fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army, which recruits from among the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group, has forced about 5,000 people from their homes in the state in the past month. The latest violence underscores the complexity of the ethnic divisions that have long scarred Rakhine. In 2017 attacks on security posts in the north of the state by insurgents from the Muslim Rohingya minority provoked a military crackdown that sent more than 730,000 fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN agencies, and sparked the biggest crisis of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi`s young administration. Aid workers say military aircraft and trucks have been seen arriving in Rakhine since early January - raising fears conflict could intensify once again in the state. The group`s rise threatens to further undermine Suu Kyi`s hopes of securing peace across Myanmar, but who are the fighters of the Arakan Army, and what do they want? JADE MINES TO SNIPER RIFLES The Arakan Army says it formed nearly a decade ago to fight for self-determination for Rakhine, which it says has been exploited by a remote central government. Many early recruits were ethnic Rakhine Buddhists who had travelled to northern Myanmar to make their fortune toiling in the jade mines there. They gathered and trained in territory along Myanmar`s border with China that is held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the largest ethnic armed groups still fighting the Myanmar military. Arakan Army fighters have fought the military alongside the KIA as part of a "northern alliance" in northern Shan state since late 2016. Arakan Army forces have also moved into the rugged western borderlands with India and Bangladesh, where they are believed to number about 3,000. In parallel, the group has launched a propaganda push aimed at inspiring an uprising across Rakhine in 2020. Slick online videos show young men and women insurgents marching, wrestling and firing modern assault weapons and sniper rifles. They often feature the group`s charismatic chief, Twan Mrat Naing, who wears thick-rimmed glasses and a military beret. ETHNIC GRIEVANCES The Arakan Army in its propaganda largely steers clear of the communal conflict between Buddhists and Muslims that has riven Rakhine in recent years. Instead, the group has found fertile ground appealing to a sense of economic and historical injustice directed at the Myanmar state and its Bamar ethnic majority. Though rich in oil and other natural resources and a focus of China`s Belt and Road Initiative investment drive, Rakhine remains one of Myanmar`s poorest states. Only 17 per cent of households in the state have access to safe drinking water year-round, far below the proportion elsewhere in Myanmar, according to a 2017 World Bank survey. Nearly 300,000 households there do not have a toilet, it found. The coastal area now known as Rakhine was historically an independent kingdom, Arakan, until a Burmese invasion in the 18th century. A demonstration in January last year to mark the anniversary of the Arakan kingdom`s overthrow ended in bloodshed when police opened fire on protesters. The figurehead of the state`s most popular political party, the Arakan National Party (ANP) was arrested soon after with another activist and charged with high treason. They remain on trial. Many ethnic Rakhines resent that Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy installed its own chief minister in the state after taking power in 2016, despite the ANP winning most seats in the state at elections in 2015. INSURGENT INFILTRATION After only sporadic encounters with the military in recent years, the Arakan Army has reported at least two dozen clashes with security forces in the last few months. It says it is responding to military aggression in Rakhine that has also targeted civilians. "Rakhine state must have its own army," Arakan Army chief Twan Mrat Naing told local news site the Irrawaddy this week. "Having an armed group means the survival of the Rakhine ethnicity." The government describes the group as a terrorist organisation and says it could destabilise the state for years to come. Analysts say the Arakan Army, which has trained with Kachin rebels, poses a potentially greater military threat than the ill-equipped Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army that precipitated the 2017 crisis. Arakan Army (AA) fighters appear to be "well-trained and generally extremely well-equipped", said Anthony Davis, a security analyst with Jane`s at IHS-Markit, describing the recent violence as a "watershed" for the conflict. "What we`ve seen is the AA shifting from a preparatory phase of political and military infiltration into northern Rakhine state that began in 2015," said Davis. "They`ve now taken it to a much higher level, operating at platoon and even company strength across almost all the townships in the north of the state, and that`s new."

Explainer: The insurgents plunging Myanmar's Rakhine back into chaos

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-appeals-to-myanmar-for-peaceful-solution-amid-troop-build-up-in-rakhine-state-189298">Myanmar has postponed a planned visit </a>by the UN refugee chief to Rakhine state following renewed fighting between security forces and insurgents, a spokesman said Monday.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was due to visit last week but Myanmar authorities scrapped the trip to Rakhine, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims were driven out in a military crackdown that started in 2017.

The troubled western state has seen fighting flare again in recent weeks, this time between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic Rakhine armed group calling for more autonomy for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/new-myanmar-unrest-panics-rohingya-in-border-limbo-189193">state's Rakhine Buddhist population</a>.

Thirteen police officers were killed by AA militants in January 4 attacks on police posts near the Bangladeshi border.

"Based on assessment of Myanmar authorities of the security situation in Rakhine, the visit has been postponed," said UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic.

Britain is expected to raise the issue at the UN Security Council later this week, according to diplomats.

The decision to delay Grandi's trip and uncertainty surrounding a separate planned visit by the UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener to Myanmar is fueling concerns that authorities are backtracking on their commitments to address the Rohingya refugee crisis.

"They have done nothing at all and didn't particularly want that to be exposed," said a Security Council diplomat of the decision to postpone Grandi's visit.

Myanmar's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for information.

Britain in December circulated a draft Security Council resolution on Myanmar that would have set a deadline for authorities to roll out a strategy for addressing the Rohingya crisis.

China, backed by Russia, however, raised strong objections and refused to take part in negotiations, suggesting it was ready to use its veto at the council to block the measure.

Myanmar's violent military campaign in 2017 forced more than 720,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh, with refugees bringing accounts of murder, rape, and arson.

Britain, France, the United States, and UN chief Antonio Guterres have described the campaign as ethnic cleansing while UN investigators have called for top generals to be investigated for genocide.

Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have suffered decades of persecution and are denied citizenship rights.

Myanmar has denied that it has singled out the Rohingya and described its army operations as a campaign to root out terrorists.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was due to visit last week but Myanmar authorities scrapped the trip to Rakhine.

Myanmar has postponed a planned visit by the UN refugee chief to Rakhine state following renewed fighting between security forces and insurgents, a spokesman said Monday. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was due to visit last week but Myanmar authorities scrapped the trip to Rakhine, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims were driven out in a military crackdown that started in 2017. The troubled western state has seen fighting flare again in recent weeks, this time between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic Rakhine armed group calling for more autonomy for the state's Rakhine Buddhist population. Thirteen police officers were killed by AA militants in January 4 attacks on police posts near the Bangladeshi border. "Based on assessment of Myanmar authorities of the security situation in Rakhine, the visit has been postponed," said UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic. Britain is expected to raise the issue at the UN Security Council later this week, according to diplomats. The decision to delay Grandi's trip and uncertainty surrounding a separate planned visit by the UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener to Myanmar is fueling concerns that authorities are backtracking on their commitments to address the Rohingya refugee crisis. "They have done nothing at all and didn't particularly want that to be exposed," said a Security Council diplomat of the decision to postpone Grandi's visit. Myanmar's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for information. Britain in December circulated a draft Security Council resolution on Myanmar that would have set a deadline for authorities to roll out a strategy for addressing the Rohingya crisis. China, backed by Russia, however, raised strong objections and refused to take part in negotiations, suggesting it was ready to use its veto at the council to block the measure. Myanmar's violent military campaign in 2017 forced more than 720,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh, with refugees bringing accounts of murder, rape, and arson. Britain, France, the United States, and UN chief Antonio Guterres have described the campaign as ethnic cleansing while UN investigators have called for top generals to be investigated for genocide. Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have suffered decades of persecution and are denied citizenship rights. Myanmar has denied that it has singled out the Rohingya and described its army operations as a campaign to root out terrorists.

Myanmar delays United Nation refugee chief Filippo Grandi's visit

Panic is gripping thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees living in no man's land on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, with daily clashes between <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-civilian-military-leaders-meet-vow-to-crush-rakhine-rebels-188927">Myanmar security forces and ethnic Rakhine insurgents.</a>

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar since a military crackdown started in 2017 - most to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-army-to-launch-crackdown-on-rakhine-rebels-government-188868">sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh </a>— but many have been living in limbo on the border, unwilling to enter the camps or return home.

They are now caught on the sidelines of fighting between Myanmar troops and the Arakan Army, a militant group seeking more autonomy for western Rakhine state's Buddhist-majority population.

"Heavy fighting is going on between the government troops and Arakan Army inside Myanmar," Rohingya leader Dil Mohammad told AFP.

"The situation is very tense," he said, adding the security build-up and daily gunfire had created "panic".

Myanmar troops last week set up security camps and bunkers along the border after fighting saw 13 police killed.

Some of the fortifications are directly adjacent to a border fence running alongside a stream and overlook shacks erected by an estimated 4,500 displaced Muslims living in the narrow strip of land.

Refugee community leader Nur Alam said gunfire could frequently be heard after dark on the other side of the border. "Every night it is close by. The Myanmar border guard have set up 10 new posts near our camp. It's very intimidating," he told AFP.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the United Nations said it was "deeply concerned" about the situation in the area.

A Bangladesh official said they were aware of the border tensions. "We will talk to the relevant authorities to discuss what to do," local administrator Kamal Hossain said.

Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have suffered decades of persecution. Impoverished western Rakhine state, in particular, is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred.

Refugees pouring into Bangladesh have detailed mass killings, arson, and rape at the hands of Myanmar troops and Buddhist mobs.

Myanmar has denied any wrongdoing, saying it was defending itself against Rohingya militants who attacked police posts.

The United Nations has called for a genocide investigation into the crackdown.&nbsp;

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar since a military crackdown started in 2017 - most to sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh — but many have been living in limbo on the border.

Panic is gripping thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees living in no man's land on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, with daily clashes between Myanmar security forces and ethnic Rakhine insurgents. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar since a military crackdown started in 2017 - most to sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh — but many have been living in limbo on the border, unwilling to enter the camps or return home. They are now caught on the sidelines of fighting between Myanmar troops and the Arakan Army, a militant group seeking more autonomy for western Rakhine state's Buddhist-majority population. "Heavy fighting is going on between the government troops and Arakan Army inside Myanmar," Rohingya leader Dil Mohammad told AFP. "The situation is very tense," he said, adding the security build-up and daily gunfire had created "panic". Myanmar troops last week set up security camps and bunkers along the border after fighting saw 13 police killed. Some of the fortifications are directly adjacent to a border fence running alongside a stream and overlook shacks erected by an estimated 4,500 displaced Muslims living in the narrow strip of land. Refugee community leader Nur Alam said gunfire could frequently be heard after dark on the other side of the border. "Every night it is close by. The Myanmar border guard have set up 10 new posts near our camp. It's very intimidating," he told AFP. In a statement issued Wednesday, the United Nations said it was "deeply concerned" about the situation in the area. A Bangladesh official said they were aware of the border tensions. "We will talk to the relevant authorities to discuss what to do," local administrator Kamal Hossain said. Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have suffered decades of persecution. Impoverished western Rakhine state, in particular, is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred. Refugees pouring into Bangladesh have detailed mass killings, arson, and rape at the hands of Myanmar troops and Buddhist mobs. Myanmar has denied any wrongdoing, saying it was defending itself against Rohingya militants who attacked police posts. The United Nations has called for a genocide investigation into the crackdown.

New Myanmar unrest panics Rohingya in border limbo

Myanmar government leader Aung San Suu Kyi discussed insurgent attacks on Myanmar police on Monday in a rare meeting with the military chief, and her administration called for the armed forces to "crush" the rebels, a government spokesman said.

Fighting between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-army-to-launch-crackdown-on-rakhine-rebels-government-188868">western state of Rakhine</a> has displaced thousands of people since early December, according to the United Nations.

The Arakan Army wants <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rakhine-rebels-kill-13-in-independence-day-attack-on-myanmar-police-posts-188495">greater autonomy for Rakhine</a>, where the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group makes up the majority of the population.

Rakhine State saw a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents that prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards into neighbouring Bangladesh.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other cabinet members met military leaders, including army chief Min Aung Hlaing, his deputy, and the military intelligence chief, to discuss "foreign affairs and national security".

"The president's office has instructed the military to launch an operation to crush the terrorists," Zaw Htay told a news conference in the capital, Naypyitaw.

While Suu Kyi is barred from being president by a military-drafted constitution, Win Myint is a loyalist. Suu Kyi is seen as a de facto leader of the civilian government, while the military remains in charge of security.

The insurgents killed 13 policemen and wounded nine in attacks on four police posts on Friday, as Myanmar celebrated Independence Day, state media reported.

An Arakan Army spokesman outside Myanmar told Reuters last week the group attacked the security forces in response to a broad military offensive in northern Rakhine State that also targeted civilians.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday that 4,500 people were sheltering in monasteries and communal spaces after being displaced by the fighting in the past month.

Zaw Htay described the Arakan Army as a "terrorist organization" and said it had surprised security forces on guard against Rohingya insurgents.

He said the Arakan Army could destabilise Rakhine State for years to come and warned people not to give it support.

"Do they want to see a cycle of violence lasting decades?" he said. "I want to tell Rakhine people who are supporting (the Arakan Army): Don't think about yourself, but think about your next generation."

Myanmar governments have battled various ethnic minority insurgent groups since shortly after independence from Britain in 1948, though some have struck ceasefire agreements.

Zaw Htay also accused the Arakan Army of meeting the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a group of Rohingya insurgents that Myanmar also considers terrorists but added that Myanmar was unable to eliminate the groups as they had bases across the border in Bangladesh.

A Bangladeshi foreign ministry official and two Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) officers denied the accusation.

One BGB officer asked Myanmar to provide evidence of militant camps in Bangladesh.

“All the terrorism is taking place on the other side of the border," said Lieutenant Colonel Manzural Hasan Khan, a BGB commander in Cox's Bazar, the district where more than 900,000 Rohingya Muslims are sheltering having fled bouts of violence that have drawn international condemnation against Myanmar.

"The world knows what happened on the other side," he said.

The Myanmar government and military leaders also discussed a temporary ceasefire the military announced last month in other parts of the country, where other insurgent groups operate, Zaw Htay said.

The meeting was held at the request of the president's office, he said.

'The president's office has instructed the military to launch an operation to crush the terrorists,' Zaw Htay told a news conference.

Myanmar government leader Aung San Suu Kyi discussed insurgent attacks on Myanmar police on Monday in a rare meeting with the military chief, and her administration called for the armed forces to "crush" the rebels, a government spokesman said. Fighting between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army in the western state of Rakhine has displaced thousands of people since early December, according to the United Nations. The Arakan Army wants greater autonomy for Rakhine, where the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group makes up the majority of the population. Rakhine State saw a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents that prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards into neighbouring Bangladesh. Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other cabinet members met military leaders, including army chief Min Aung Hlaing, his deputy, and the military intelligence chief, to discuss "foreign affairs and national security". "The president's office has instructed the military to launch an operation to crush the terrorists," Zaw Htay told a news conference in the capital, Naypyitaw. While Suu Kyi is barred from being president by a military-drafted constitution, Win Myint is a loyalist. Suu Kyi is seen as a de facto leader of the civilian government, while the military remains in charge of security. The insurgents killed 13 policemen and wounded nine in attacks on four police posts on Friday, as Myanmar celebrated Independence Day, state media reported. An Arakan Army spokesman outside Myanmar told Reuters last week the group attacked the security forces in response to a broad military offensive in northern Rakhine State that also targeted civilians. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday that 4,500 people were sheltering in monasteries and communal spaces after being displaced by the fighting in the past month. Zaw Htay described the Arakan Army as a "terrorist organization" and said it had surprised security forces on guard against Rohingya insurgents. He said the Arakan Army could destabilise Rakhine State for years to come and warned people not to give it support. "Do they want to see a cycle of violence lasting decades?" he said. "I want to tell Rakhine people who are supporting (the Arakan Army): Don't think about yourself, but think about your next generation." Myanmar governments have battled various ethnic minority insurgent groups since shortly after independence from Britain in 1948, though some have struck ceasefire agreements. Zaw Htay also accused the Arakan Army of meeting the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a group of Rohingya insurgents that Myanmar also considers terrorists but added that Myanmar was unable to eliminate the groups as they had bases across the border in Bangladesh. A Bangladeshi foreign ministry official and two Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) officers denied the accusation. One BGB officer asked Myanmar to provide evidence of militant camps in Bangladesh. “All the terrorism is taking place on the other side of the border," said Lieutenant Colonel Manzural Hasan Khan, a BGB commander in Cox's Bazar, the district where more than 900,000 Rohingya Muslims are sheltering having fled bouts of violence that have drawn international condemnation against Myanmar. "The world knows what happened on the other side," he said. The Myanmar government and military leaders also discussed a temporary ceasefire the military announced last month in other parts of the country, where other insurgent groups operate, Zaw Htay said. The meeting was held at the request of the president's office, he said.

Myanmar civilian, military leaders meet; vow to 'crush' Rakhine rebels

Myanmar has called on its military to "launch operations" against ethnic <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rakhine-rebels-kill-13-in-independence-day-attack-on-myanmar-police-posts-188495">Rakhine rebels </a>behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said Monday, as a surge of violence forces thousands more from their homes.

The country's troubled western Rakhine state has seen a series of clashes in recent weeks between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group calling for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population.

The area is one of the poorest in Myanmar and is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred.

A brutal army campaign in 2017 forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh, operations justified by the army as a way to stamp out Rohingya militants.

The latest violence by ethnic Rakhine<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rebels-breach-myanmar-ceasefire-in-army-attack-military-187036"> rebels</a> culminated on Friday -- Myanmar's Independence Day -- in brazen pre-dawn raids on four police posts in Buthidaung township near the Bangladesh border.&nbsp;

Authorities said that the attack by hundreds of militants left 13 police officers dead and nine wounded before the army, known locally as the Tatmadaw, were able to provide back-up.&nbsp;

The AA said that three of its fighters had been killed, accusing the military of using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery.

"The president's office has already instructed the Tatmadaw to launch operations to crack down on the insurgents," government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw.

Civilians flee&nbsp;

Some 4,500 people have been displaced by the recent weeks of violence, the UN's humanitarian agency said on Monday.

Over the weekend, people streamed to nearby monasteries and other makeshift camps to escape the crossfire, carrying infants and bags of belongings.

The increase in fighting comes just two weeks after the military declared a four-month ceasefire with a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country.

But Rakhine was a notable exception, and army operations against the AA have continued.

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi stated that the peace process would be her top priority after her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections.

There are around two dozen conflicts festering around the country's restive borderlands, some of which date back 70 years to when the nation declared independence from colonial power Britain.

Independent analyst David Mathieson told AFP the reasons behind the recent uptick in violence were still largely opaque.

But he said the fighting could mean that greater numbers of AA fighters have "infiltrated the borderlands and are extending their reach" in what he described as "classic guerrilla strategy".

The AA has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits.

Zaw Htay, the government spokesman, called on ethnic Rakhine people not to back the rebels.

"Consider Rakhine's future deeply. Think carefully about the future you want to see before giving them your support," he said.

Myanmar has called on its military to "launch operations" against ethnic Rakhine rebels behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said Monday, as a surge of violence forces thousands more from their homes.

Myanmar has called on its military to "launch operations" against ethnic Rakhine rebels behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said Monday, as a surge of violence forces thousands more from their homes. The country's troubled western Rakhine state has seen a series of clashes in recent weeks between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group calling for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population. The area is one of the poorest in Myanmar and is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred. A brutal army campaign in 2017 forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh, operations justified by the army as a way to stamp out Rohingya militants. The latest violence by ethnic Rakhine rebels culminated on Friday -- Myanmar's Independence Day -- in brazen pre-dawn raids on four police posts in Buthidaung township near the Bangladesh border. Authorities said that the attack by hundreds of militants left 13 police officers dead and nine wounded before the army, known locally as the Tatmadaw, were able to provide back-up. The AA said that three of its fighters had been killed, accusing the military of using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery. "The president's office has already instructed the Tatmadaw to launch operations to crack down on the insurgents," government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw. Civilians flee Some 4,500 people have been displaced by the recent weeks of violence, the UN's humanitarian agency said on Monday. Over the weekend, people streamed to nearby monasteries and other makeshift camps to escape the crossfire, carrying infants and bags of belongings. The increase in fighting comes just two weeks after the military declared a four-month ceasefire with a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country. But Rakhine was a notable exception, and army operations against the AA have continued. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi stated that the peace process would be her top priority after her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections. There are around two dozen conflicts festering around the country's restive borderlands, some of which date back 70 years to when the nation declared independence from colonial power Britain. Independent analyst David Mathieson told AFP the reasons behind the recent uptick in violence were still largely opaque. But he said the fighting could mean that greater numbers of AA fighters have "infiltrated the borderlands and are extending their reach" in what he described as "classic guerrilla strategy". The AA has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits. Zaw Htay, the government spokesman, called on ethnic Rakhine people not to back the rebels. "Consider Rakhine's future deeply. Think carefully about the future you want to see before giving them your support," he said.

Myanmar army to launch 'crackdown' on Rakhine rebels: Government

Rakhine insurgents killed 13 policemen and injured nine in attacks on four police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Friday as the country marked Independence Day, the official news agency said.

Fighting resurged in Rakhine state in early December between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army, which wants greater autonomy for Rakhine, where the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group makes up the majority. The Arakan Army does not cite religion as a factor in its insurgency.

It was also in the restive western state that a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents, prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards to neighbouring Bangladesh.

The separate conflict between the military and Arakan Army rebels forced 2,500 civilians from their homes by the end of last year, according to the United Nations.

The Arakan Army says it has been fighting for nearly a decade for self-determination in "the land of Arakan," another name for Rakhine. An independent kingdom ruled in the coastal area until the 18th century.

The Arakan Army is one of multiple armed groups fighting in the name of ethnic minorities in the rugged borderlands of Myanmar, a country once known as Burma where around 90 per cent of people are Buddhists.

The official Myanmar News Agency said four police posts in the Buthidaung area in northern Rakhine came under attack from hundreds of Arakan Army fighters after daybreak on Friday.

Thirteen policemen were killed and nine injured as police were forced to abandon two of the posts, it said, adding that the military was now conducting a "clearance" of the area.

Myanmar military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the insurgents had hit police outposts near the border with Bangladesh.

"These police posts are there to protect the national races in the area so (Arakan Army rebels) shouldn't attack them," Zaw Min Tun said, referring to mostly Buddhist ethnic groups in the area who are, unlike Rohingya Muslims, considered Myanmar citizens.

Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha confirmed the assault and said rebels later retrieved the corpses of seven "enemies".

He said later that rebels had freed at least 12 members of the security forces it detained in the fighting.

The attacks, he added, came in response to a Myanmar military offensive against the Arakan Army in recent weeks that had also targeted civilians. The military has denied targeting civilians.

The Myanmar military last month announced a four-month halt to fighting in the north and northeast of the country to kick-start peace talks with armed groups seeking autonomy, but that announcement excluded Rakhine state.

The Myanmar police force said on Saturday it had opened cases against those involved in Friday's attack under Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law and a weapons law.

"This is a carefully planned premeditated attack to harm the lives and property of the people and to further aggravate the instability in the Rakhine State," the English-language Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Saturday.

Friday's violence erupted shortly after the national flag was raised across the southeast Asian country to mark 71 years since independence from Britain, but the Arakan Army spokesman denied any connection between the attacks and the anniversary.

"We are not independent yet. Today is not our Independence Day," Khine Thu Kha said.

Last August, a U.N. report accused the Myanmar military of mass killings and rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent" in 2017 in an operation that drove more than 700,000 of them to flee to Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies.

Myanmar has denied the charges, saying its military launched a counter-insurgency operation after attacks on security posts by Muslim militants.

Rakhine insurgents killed 13 policemen and injured nine in attacks on four police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Friday as the country marked Independence Day, the official news agency said.

Rakhine insurgents killed 13 policemen and injured nine in attacks on four police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Friday as the country marked Independence Day, the official news agency said. Fighting resurged in Rakhine state in early December between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army, which wants greater autonomy for Rakhine, where the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group makes up the majority. The Arakan Army does not cite religion as a factor in its insurgency. It was also in the restive western state that a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents, prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards to neighbouring Bangladesh. The separate conflict between the military and Arakan Army rebels forced 2,500 civilians from their homes by the end of last year, according to the United Nations. The Arakan Army says it has been fighting for nearly a decade for self-determination in "the land of Arakan," another name for Rakhine. An independent kingdom ruled in the coastal area until the 18th century. The Arakan Army is one of multiple armed groups fighting in the name of ethnic minorities in the rugged borderlands of Myanmar, a country once known as Burma where around 90 per cent of people are Buddhists. The official Myanmar News Agency said four police posts in the Buthidaung area in northern Rakhine came under attack from hundreds of Arakan Army fighters after daybreak on Friday. Thirteen policemen were killed and nine injured as police were forced to abandon two of the posts, it said, adding that the military was now conducting a "clearance" of the area. Myanmar military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the insurgents had hit police outposts near the border with Bangladesh. "These police posts are there to protect the national races in the area so (Arakan Army rebels) shouldn't attack them," Zaw Min Tun said, referring to mostly Buddhist ethnic groups in the area who are, unlike Rohingya Muslims, considered Myanmar citizens. Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha confirmed the assault and said rebels later retrieved the corpses of seven "enemies". He said later that rebels had freed at least 12 members of the security forces it detained in the fighting. The attacks, he added, came in response to a Myanmar military offensive against the Arakan Army in recent weeks that had also targeted civilians. The military has denied targeting civilians. The Myanmar military last month announced a four-month halt to fighting in the north and northeast of the country to kick-start peace talks with armed groups seeking autonomy, but that announcement excluded Rakhine state. The Myanmar police force said on Saturday it had opened cases against those involved in Friday's attack under Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law and a weapons law. "This is a carefully planned premeditated attack to harm the lives and property of the people and to further aggravate the instability in the Rakhine State," the English-language Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Saturday. Friday's violence erupted shortly after the national flag was raised across the southeast Asian country to mark 71 years since independence from Britain, but the Arakan Army spokesman denied any connection between the attacks and the anniversary. "We are not independent yet. Today is not our Independence Day," Khine Thu Kha said. Last August, a U.N. report accused the Myanmar military of mass killings and rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent" in 2017 in an operation that drove more than 700,000 of them to flee to Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies. Myanmar has denied the charges, saying its military launched a counter-insurgency operation after attacks on security posts by Muslim militants.

Rakhine rebels kill 13 in Independence Day attack on Myanmar police posts

Ethnic Rakhine rebels carried out pre-dawn attacks on four police stations near the Bangladesh border in a strike confirmed Friday by both the rebel group and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/un-calls-genocide-investigation-in-rakhine-myanmar-161902">Myanmar's army</a>, with the militants claiming to have killed seven and taken 14 "prisoners of war" as operations ramped up.

Myanmar's western state of Rakhine has seen a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mass-grave-of-28-hindus-found-in-rakhine-myanmar-army-20582&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjP9IvvptTfAhUHY48KHZr3AmUQFggaMAc&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1Le8WFIlNMnQP73dGmD_CB">surge in violence</a> in recent weeks between rebels from the Arakan Army (AA) and security forces, displacing thousands.

It has added a new dimension to the violence in an area already scored by deep ethnic and religious enmity, which saw hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims forced over the border by a bloody army crackdown in 2017.

The AA is calling for greater autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population in what is one of the country's poorest states.

Friday morning's attacks took place in Buthidaung township in the north of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/life-stopped-in-tracks-in-myanmars-rakhine-state-red-cross-26683"> Rakhine state</a>, army spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP.

"We can confirm that the attack on the four police stations was by the AA," he said, adding that the army immediately sent a support team and that fighting continued into the afternoon.

The AA told AFP that it had carried out the raids, blaming the military for using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery. 
"The army brought the police into the war two weeks ago," AA spokesman Khine Thukha said by phone, adding that the group had been under fire the whole day from army helicopters.

"Seven enemy combatants were killed. When we seized the posts, they surrendered and we took 14 prisoners of war," he said, adding that two AA fighters had also been killed in the clashes.

The military was unable to give any information about casualty numbers.&nbsp;

The UN's humanitarian agency said Thursday it was concerned for the estimated 2,500 people currently displaced, many of whom are sheltering in local monasteries.

The AA was sidelined by an unexpected temporary ceasefire declared unilaterally by Myanmar's military two weeks ago.

The army vowed to stop fighting for four months against a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country.

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi made the peace process a priority when her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections.

Some two dozen conflicts continue to fester around the country's border areas, many dating back to independence 70 years ago. 
The AA has said the army is using the truce elsewhere to focus efforts on Rakhine.

But observers say no major troop redeployments have yet taken place.

The escalation of violence comes amid a series of unclaimed attacks and murders in recent weeks in northern Rakhine.

Unknown assailants murdered a policeman, while two ethnic Rakhine were found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch localised "clearance operations".

Ethnic Rakhine rebels carried out pre-dawn attacks on four police stations near the Bangladesh border in a strike confirmed Friday by both the rebel group and Myanmar's army, with the militants claiming to have killed seven and taken 14 "prisoners of war" as operations ramped up.

Ethnic Rakhine rebels carried out pre-dawn attacks on four police stations near the Bangladesh border in a strike confirmed Friday by both the rebel group and Myanmar's army, with the militants claiming to have killed seven and taken 14 "prisoners of war" as operations ramped up. Myanmar's western state of Rakhine has seen a surge in violence in recent weeks between rebels from the Arakan Army (AA) and security forces, displacing thousands. It has added a new dimension to the violence in an area already scored by deep ethnic and religious enmity, which saw hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims forced over the border by a bloody army crackdown in 2017. The AA is calling for greater autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population in what is one of the country's poorest states. Friday morning's attacks took place in Buthidaung township in the north of Rakhine state, army spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP. "We can confirm that the attack on the four police stations was by the AA," he said, adding that the army immediately sent a support team and that fighting continued into the afternoon. The AA told AFP that it had carried out the raids, blaming the military for using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery. "The army brought the police into the war two weeks ago," AA spokesman Khine Thukha said by phone, adding that the group had been under fire the whole day from army helicopters. "Seven enemy combatants were killed. When we seized the posts, they surrendered and we took 14 prisoners of war," he said, adding that two AA fighters had also been killed in the clashes. The military was unable to give any information about casualty numbers. The UN's humanitarian agency said Thursday it was concerned for the estimated 2,500 people currently displaced, many of whom are sheltering in local monasteries. The AA was sidelined by an unexpected temporary ceasefire declared unilaterally by Myanmar's military two weeks ago. The army vowed to stop fighting for four months against a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi made the peace process a priority when her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections. Some two dozen conflicts continue to fester around the country's border areas, many dating back to independence 70 years ago. The AA has said the army is using the truce elsewhere to focus efforts on Rakhine. But observers say no major troop redeployments have yet taken place. The escalation of violence comes amid a series of unclaimed attacks and murders in recent weeks in northern Rakhine. Unknown assailants murdered a policeman, while two ethnic Rakhine were found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch localised "clearance operations".

Myanmar's Rakhine rebels attack police posts in pre-dawn raids

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-policeman-found-killed-in-northern-rakhine-state-185930">A Myanmar</a> court heard arguments on Monday&nbsp;in the appeal of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-reporters-imprisonment-when-myanmars-progress-towards-democracy-was-put-to-question-185665">two Reuters reporters sentenced</a> to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act.

Lawyers lodged an appeal on Monday to free two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on Myanmar's Rohingya crisis, decrying the sentence as a "mistake" that has already resulted in the pair being locked up for a year.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in December 2017 and later sent to prison for what prosecutors said was a breach of official secrets law for the possession of classified material on security operations.

Reuters disputed the charge and said the two were set up by police after probing the massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown.

Lawyers for the reporters filed an appeal against the conviction in early November, citing evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime.

Lawyers for the reporters and the prosecution presented arguments for more than an hour on Monday before the hearing was adjourned. The court did not give a date for a decision.

Appeal lawyer L. Khun Ring Pan, asked the judge, Aung Naing, to overturn the lower court's decision and release the reporters.

Their conviction in September sparked widespread global condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, who asked civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to intervene.

"This seven-year jail sentence is a mistake," the journalists' lawyer L.Khun Ring Pan told the bench, in a hearing attended by embassy officials and free media advocates as well as the wives of the jailed journalists.

"They were trying to find out who was involved with the (Inn Din) case. That's why they tried to meet the police... they did not ask for anything secret."

Before their arrest, the reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August last year.

The operation sent more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, according to UN estimates.

A Myanmar court heard arguments on Monday in the appeal of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act.

A Myanmar court heard arguments on Monday in the appeal of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act. Lawyers lodged an appeal on Monday to free two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on Myanmar's Rohingya crisis, decrying the sentence as a "mistake" that has already resulted in the pair being locked up for a year. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in December 2017 and later sent to prison for what prosecutors said was a breach of official secrets law for the possession of classified material on security operations. Reuters disputed the charge and said the two were set up by police after probing the massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown. Lawyers for the reporters filed an appeal against the conviction in early November, citing evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime. Lawyers for the reporters and the prosecution presented arguments for more than an hour on Monday before the hearing was adjourned. The court did not give a date for a decision. Appeal lawyer L. Khun Ring Pan, asked the judge, Aung Naing, to overturn the lower court's decision and release the reporters. Their conviction in September sparked widespread global condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, who asked civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to intervene. "This seven-year jail sentence is a mistake," the journalists' lawyer L.Khun Ring Pan told the bench, in a hearing attended by embassy officials and free media advocates as well as the wives of the jailed journalists. "They were trying to find out who was involved with the (Inn Din) case. That's why they tried to meet the police... they did not ask for anything secret." Before their arrest, the reporters had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August last year. The operation sent more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, according to UN estimates.

Myanmar court hears arguments of jailed Reuters reporters

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-reporters-imprisonment-when-myanmars-progress-towards-democracy-was-put-to-question-185665">tensions rise </a>in the hotspot where the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-army-pauses-operations-in-north-in-rare-conciliatory-action-185678">Rohingya crisis </a>erupted last year.

The western territory is a tinderbox of ethnic and religious divisions and security forces have clashed with both Rohingya insurgents and much better armed Rakhine fighters from the mostly Buddhist Arakan Army.

Private Aung Kyaw Thet went missing in action after an<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-house-of-representatives-describes-crime-against-rohingya-in-myanmar-as-genocide-183895"> ambush last week</a> by unknown assailants in Maungdaw township near the border with Bangladesh.

His body was found two days ago with "gunshot wounds in his face, arm and leg near a hill inside the other country," according to government-backed Global New Light of Myanmar.

The ambush happened the same day that two ethnic Rakhine Buddhist men disappeared while fishing in the same township and were later found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch local "clearance operations" and raising fears of renewed large-scale violence.

Sunday's report in Global New Light did not identify the alleged perpetrators of the shooting but said authorities found foxholes near the scene, bullet casings and biscuits manufactured in Bangladesh.

More than 720,000 Rohingya fled northern Rakhine to Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority in August 2017.

UN investigators want senior Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for genocide but the army says it was responding to attacks on border guard posts by Rohingya insurgents that killed around a dozen security forces.

The army this week called a rare ceasefire against ethnic armed groups in the northeast of the country but Rakhine state was not included.

Analysts say the military left Rakhine out because it does not want the Arakan Army to gain a foothold in the state as well as lingering concern over the less powerful Rohingya militants, who call themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as tensions rise in the hotspot where the Rohingya crisis erupted last year.

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as tensions rise in the hotspot where the Rohingya crisis erupted last year. The western territory is a tinderbox of ethnic and religious divisions and security forces have clashed with both Rohingya insurgents and much better armed Rakhine fighters from the mostly Buddhist Arakan Army. Private Aung Kyaw Thet went missing in action after an ambush last week by unknown assailants in Maungdaw township near the border with Bangladesh. His body was found two days ago with "gunshot wounds in his face, arm and leg near a hill inside the other country," according to government-backed Global New Light of Myanmar. The ambush happened the same day that two ethnic Rakhine Buddhist men disappeared while fishing in the same township and were later found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch local "clearance operations" and raising fears of renewed large-scale violence. Sunday's report in Global New Light did not identify the alleged perpetrators of the shooting but said authorities found foxholes near the scene, bullet casings and biscuits manufactured in Bangladesh. More than 720,000 Rohingya fled northern Rakhine to Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority in August 2017. UN investigators want senior Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for genocide but the army says it was responding to attacks on border guard posts by Rohingya insurgents that killed around a dozen security forces. The army this week called a rare ceasefire against ethnic armed groups in the northeast of the country but Rakhine state was not included. Analysts say the military left Rakhine out because it does not want the Arakan Army to gain a foothold in the state as well as lingering concern over the less powerful Rohingya militants, who call themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

Myanmar: Missing policeman found killed in northern Rakhine state

Fleeing Rohingya Muslims sold ration books to help pay hundreds of dollars to traffickers in order to flee squalid Myanmar camps by boat, only to be stopped at sea and forced back destitute, the refugees told AFP on Friday.

Images of hungry and thirsty refugees huddled on boats have stirred memories of a 2015 crisis, when thousands of fleeing Rohingya were stuck at sea as a trafficking trail south collapsed.

Some 120,000 of the stateless Muslim minority have languished in camps in central Rakhine for six years since a bloody bout of intercommunal violence with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists.

The end of the monsoon brings more favourable, if still treacherous, sailing conditions for those desperate to escape the camps that are branded as "open-air prisons" by rights groups and where the refugees have little access to work, education or healthcare.

One Rohingya boat this week made it to Aceh on the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra but several others have been picked up in Myanmar waters and those on board sent back to the camps.

Journalists are not allowed to enter the camps except on brief government-chaperoned tours, but one young Rohingya in Thechaung camp told AFP by phone how he had sold his food ration book to help pay the 600,000 kyat ($385) fee to traffickers.

He had hoped to reach Malaysia, but after 15 days at sea his boat was seized south of Yangon and authorities sent him and his fellow detainees back to the camps.

"I need to get my ration book back," he said.&nbsp;

"I can only earn 1000 kyat per day on a fishing boat, which isn't enough to eat."

AFP has withheld his identity to protect him.

UN refugee agency spokeswoman Aoife McDonnell said many of the Rohingya had sold or lost all their possessions, including their shelters, to pay people smugglers.

They are in "acute need of support" now they are back in the camps, she said.

'No future here'

A leader in nearby Dapaing camp confirmed that some escapees had paid up to $700 for their places on the flimsy fishing boats, often in the hope of reaching Malaysia or Indonesia.

So far five boatloads are known to have set off from central Rakhine, including the group of 20 men who made it to Aceh.

The four other boats were picked up in Myanmar waters between November 16 and 29 and carried between them a further 356 people, who have since been sent back to the camps.

There have also been rumours of sightings of several other vessels.

But fears that the number could escalate to 2015 levels are for now overstated, said Chris Lewa from the Arakan Project.

The circumstances are "completely different" now, she said, pointing out that the boats are much smaller and the Bangladeshi authorities have also managed to prevent any mass departures from the camps there.

Rakhine State police chief Colonel Kyi Linn told AFP that six traffickers so far have been detained.

"These places are big and we can't control everywhere," he added.

The young Rohingya from Thechaung camp told AFP he was already thinking about how to escape again.&nbsp;

"What is my future here?" he asked. "If I get another chance to go to Malaysia, I will take it."&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Fleeing Rohingya Muslims sold ration books to help pay hundreds of dollars to traffickers in order to flee squalid Myanmar camps by boat, only to be stopped at sea and forced back destitute, the refugees told AFP on Friday.

Fleeing Rohingya Muslims sold ration books to help pay hundreds of dollars to traffickers in order to flee squalid Myanmar camps by boat, only to be stopped at sea and forced back destitute, the refugees told AFP on Friday. Images of hungry and thirsty refugees huddled on boats have stirred memories of a 2015 crisis, when thousands of fleeing Rohingya were stuck at sea as a trafficking trail south collapsed. Some 120,000 of the stateless Muslim minority have languished in camps in central Rakhine for six years since a bloody bout of intercommunal violence with ethnic Rakhine Buddhists. The end of the monsoon brings more favourable, if still treacherous, sailing conditions for those desperate to escape the camps that are branded as "open-air prisons" by rights groups and where the refugees have little access to work, education or healthcare. One Rohingya boat this week made it to Aceh on the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra but several others have been picked up in Myanmar waters and those on board sent back to the camps. Journalists are not allowed to enter the camps except on brief government-chaperoned tours, but one young Rohingya in Thechaung camp told AFP by phone how he had sold his food ration book to help pay the 600,000 kyat ($385) fee to traffickers. He had hoped to reach Malaysia, but after 15 days at sea his boat was seized south of Yangon and authorities sent him and his fellow detainees back to the camps. "I need to get my ration book back," he said. "I can only earn 1000 kyat per day on a fishing boat, which isn't enough to eat." AFP has withheld his identity to protect him. UN refugee agency spokeswoman Aoife McDonnell said many of the Rohingya had sold or lost all their possessions, including their shelters, to pay people smugglers. They are in "acute need of support" now they are back in the camps, she said. 'No future here' A leader in nearby Dapaing camp confirmed that some escapees had paid up to $700 for their places on the flimsy fishing boats, often in the hope of reaching Malaysia or Indonesia. So far five boatloads are known to have set off from central Rakhine, including the group of 20 men who made it to Aceh. The four other boats were picked up in Myanmar waters between November 16 and 29 and carried between them a further 356 people, who have since been sent back to the camps. There have also been rumours of sightings of several other vessels. But fears that the number could escalate to 2015 levels are for now overstated, said Chris Lewa from the Arakan Project. The circumstances are "completely different" now, she said, pointing out that the boats are much smaller and the Bangladeshi authorities have also managed to prevent any mass departures from the camps there. Rakhine State police chief Colonel Kyi Linn told AFP that six traffickers so far have been detained. "These places are big and we can't control everywhere," he added. The young Rohingya from Thechaung camp told AFP he was already thinking about how to escape again. "What is my future here?" he asked. "If I get another chance to go to Malaysia, I will take it."

Rohingya sent back to Myanmar camps hungry and in debt

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday agreed upon the importance of conducting an independent investigation over the Rakhine state issue.

At a bilateral meeting in Tokyo, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation and the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine State at a bilateral meeting held after the 10th Mekong-Japan Summit in Tokyo.

Over the last year, more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN&nbsp;agencies, following a military response to attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents.

A recent UN&nbsp;report accused Myanmar's military of gang rapes and mass killings with "genocidal intent" in Rakhine and called for its commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted under international law.

Myanmar has denied most of the allegations in the report, blaming Rohingya "terrorists" for most accounts of atrocities.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday agreed upon the importance of conducting an independent investigation over the Rakhine state issue.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday agreed upon the importance of conducting an independent investigation over the Rakhine state issue. At a bilateral meeting in Tokyo, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation and the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine State at a bilateral meeting held after the 10th Mekong-Japan Summit in Tokyo. Over the last year, more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN agencies, following a military response to attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents. A recent UN report accused Myanmar's military of gang rapes and mass killings with "genocidal intent" in Rakhine and called for its commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted under international law. Myanmar has denied most of the allegations in the report, blaming Rohingya "terrorists" for most accounts of atrocities.

Japan, Myanmar reaffirm importance of independent investigation in Rakhine State

The Government of Myanmar is reported to be re-evaluating a Chinese investment project to develop the deep-water port of Kyaukpyu because of rising costs.&nbspthe Kyaukpyu Port project is a part of China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. Beijing has invested an estimated USD 9 billion in the project.

A concerned Myanmar is anticipating a potential debt default, which could lead to losing control of Kyaukpyu.

The Sinchew is quoting unnamed Myanmar government sources, as saying that negotiations are going on with the Chinese to reduce the cost of the project.

China has been pushing for preferential access to the deep sea port of Kyaukpyu on the Bay of Bengal, an entry point for a Chinese oil and gas pipeline that gives it an alternative route for energy imports from the Middle East that avoids the Malacca Strait, a shipping chokepoint.

Kyaukpyu is located in west Myanmar's Rakhine Province. That port offers China a direct path to the Indian Ocean from Southwest China, bypassing the Strait of Malacca.

Reuters last May reported that state-owned CITIC had proposed taking a 70-85 per cent stake in the Kyaukpyu port, a part of China’s ambitious “Belt and Road” infrastructure investment plan to deepen its links with economies throughout Asia and beyond.

A total of 52 Myanmar companies will contribute to half of Myanmar’s stake in the Kyauk Pyu port, according to San Myint, general manager of the local consortium Myanmar Kyaukpyu Special Holding Company.

Kyaukpyu is located in west Myanmar's Rakhine Province. That port offers China a direct path to the Indian Ocean from Southwest China, bypassing the Strait of Malacca

The Government of Myanmar is reported to be re-evaluating a Chinese investment project to develop the deep-water port of Kyaukpyu because of rising costs.&nbspthe Kyaukpyu Port project is a part of China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. Beijing has invested an estimated USD 9 billion in the project. A concerned Myanmar is anticipating a potential debt default, which could lead to losing control of Kyaukpyu. The Sinchew is quoting unnamed Myanmar government sources, as saying that negotiations are going on with the Chinese to reduce the cost of the project. China has been pushing for preferential access to the deep sea port of Kyaukpyu on the Bay of Bengal, an entry point for a Chinese oil and gas pipeline that gives it an alternative route for energy imports from the Middle East that avoids the Malacca Strait, a shipping chokepoint. Kyaukpyu is located in west Myanmar's Rakhine Province. That port offers China a direct path to the Indian Ocean from Southwest China, bypassing the Strait of Malacca. Reuters last May reported that state-owned CITIC had proposed taking a 70-85 per cent stake in the Kyaukpyu port, a part of China’s ambitious “Belt and Road” infrastructure investment plan to deepen its links with economies throughout Asia and beyond. A total of 52 Myanmar companies will contribute to half of Myanmar’s stake in the Kyauk Pyu port, according to San Myint, general manager of the local consortium Myanmar Kyaukpyu Special Holding Company.

Myanmar keen not to lose Kyaukpyu Port to China

The European Union ambassador to Myanmar on Wednesday warned the Southeast Asian country that receiving aid from the bloc was conditional on the protection of human and social rights.

Kristian Schmidt was addressing the opening of the Myanmar-EU Economic Forum in the capital city Naypyidaw, which was also attended by Myanmar's vice president, U Myint Swe.

The two held a bilateral meet and were also due to participate in a series of panel discussions on trade and investment.

The pair discussed "friendly matters", Myanmar's Ministry of Information said, relating to aid from the European Union with regard to the Myanmar Police Force transition and "assisting in national peace".

Schmidt was more explicit in his keynote address, pointing out that receiving European assistance was conditional on "human rights and fundamental freedoms" being respected.

"We are monitoring developments in Myanmar, including the freedom of the media, the right to peaceful assembly, the peace process, respect for the rights of ethnic minorities and the situation in Rakhine State."

Schmidt concluded that trade and investments would "suffer" if the country "starts sliding backwards on democracy, human and social rights".

Over 700,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic minority have fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state, escaping sectarian violence between rebels and the security forces.

Last month, the United Nations reported that thousands of ethnic Kachin villagers had been displaced from villages near the northern Chinese border.

"What we are seeing in Kachin State over the past few weeks is wholly unacceptable, and must stop immediately. Innocent civilians are being killed and injured, and hundreds of families are now fleeing for their lives," United Nations Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee said.

She added that there were reports that the military had carried out aerial bombings and used heavy weapons and artillery fire in civilian areas close to the border with China.

Over 700,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic minority have fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state, escaping sectarian violence between rebels and the security forces.

The European Union ambassador to Myanmar on Wednesday warned the Southeast Asian country that receiving aid from the bloc was conditional on the protection of human and social rights. Kristian Schmidt was addressing the opening of the Myanmar-EU Economic Forum in the capital city Naypyidaw, which was also attended by Myanmar's vice president, U Myint Swe. The two held a bilateral meet and were also due to participate in a series of panel discussions on trade and investment. The pair discussed "friendly matters", Myanmar's Ministry of Information said, relating to aid from the European Union with regard to the Myanmar Police Force transition and "assisting in national peace". Schmidt was more explicit in his keynote address, pointing out that receiving European assistance was conditional on "human rights and fundamental freedoms" being respected. "We are monitoring developments in Myanmar, including the freedom of the media, the right to peaceful assembly, the peace process, respect for the rights of ethnic minorities and the situation in Rakhine State." Schmidt concluded that trade and investments would "suffer" if the country "starts sliding backwards on democracy, human and social rights". Over 700,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic minority have fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state, escaping sectarian violence between rebels and the security forces. Last month, the United Nations reported that thousands of ethnic Kachin villagers had been displaced from villages near the northern Chinese border. "What we are seeing in Kachin State over the past few weeks is wholly unacceptable, and must stop immediately. Innocent civilians are being killed and injured, and hundreds of families are now fleeing for their lives," United Nations Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee said. She added that there were reports that the military had carried out aerial bombings and used heavy weapons and artillery fire in civilian areas close to the border with China.

EU trade, aid conditional on Myanmar respecting rights, ambassador says

For Rohingya Muslim refugee Imtiaz Fatema, sitting in her makeshift camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, the holy month of Ramadan has become a period of uncertainty and melancholy.

Living in tough conditions -- most of the refugees reside in flimsy, bamboo-and-plastic structures -- Fatema reflects on her previous life in Myanmar, where they were able to work and buy a delectable spread for their families, "during Ramadan we used to have good food there -- crispy food while we sit for Iftar (breaking fast) in the early morning."

Now, her young toddler and her life on handouts from aid agencies in the refugee camps, cooking meals consisting of mostly rice, dal, and salt on a flimsy pot in front of her shelter.

Ramadan, the ninth and the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is marked by fasting and visiting friends and family. At sunset, Muslims around the world gather for 'Iftar', the fast-breaking meal of the day.

"We are just thinking about how we will buy food for Iftar (breaking fast) and for dinner during the coming Ramadan. We have nothing. We need help," said Fatema.

Ramadan is expected to start this week, subject to the sighting of the moon. Rohingya Muslims residing in refugee camps have also been getting ready for the start of the holy month by repairing their shelters.

According to the United Nations and rights groups, attacks from insurgents in Myanmar had sent nearly 700,000 Rohingyas fleeing to camps in Bangladesh.

Ramzan is expected to start this week, subject to the sighting of the moon. Rohingya Muslims residing in refugee camps have also been getting ready for the start of the holy month by repairing their shelters

For Rohingya Muslim refugee Imtiaz Fatema, sitting in her makeshift camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, the holy month of Ramadan has become a period of uncertainty and melancholy. Living in tough conditions -- most of the refugees reside in flimsy, bamboo-and-plastic structures -- Fatema reflects on her previous life in Myanmar, where they were able to work and buy a delectable spread for their families, "during Ramadan we used to have good food there -- crispy food while we sit for Iftar (breaking fast) in the early morning." Now, her young toddler and her life on handouts from aid agencies in the refugee camps, cooking meals consisting of mostly rice, dal, and salt on a flimsy pot in front of her shelter. Ramadan, the ninth and the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is marked by fasting and visiting friends and family. At sunset, Muslims around the world gather for 'Iftar', the fast-breaking meal of the day. "We are just thinking about how we will buy food for Iftar (breaking fast) and for dinner during the coming Ramadan. We have nothing. We need help," said Fatema. Ramadan is expected to start this week, subject to the sighting of the moon. Rohingya Muslims residing in refugee camps have also been getting ready for the start of the holy month by repairing their shelters. According to the United Nations and rights groups, attacks from insurgents in Myanmar had sent nearly 700,000 Rohingyas fleeing to camps in Bangladesh.

Rohingya Muslim refugee worries about food for breaking fast during Ramzan

rakhine

Rakhine, News on Rakhine, stories on Rakhine, articles on Rakhine, Rakhine stories at Wion, Rakhine news, Rakhine latest news