Myanmar nationalists call for military to 'take control' in Rakhine

Hundreds of people gathered in Yangon, one of Myanmar's largest cities, on Wednesday (August 30) to protest against the latest insurgent attack in northwestern Rakhine State and the findings and recommendations of Kofi Annan's Rakhine State Advisory Commission on the Rohingya crisis.

Nationalists who joined the protest have called for the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's military, to 'take control' in the Rakhine state after Friday's (August 25) series of coordinated attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security forces in the north of Myanmar's Rakhine state.

The attack and ensuing clashes triggered the Rohingya exodus with more than 18,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing into Bangladesh and the government evacuated thousands of Rakhine Buddhists.

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The former UN chief's commission, appointed last year by leader Aung San Suu Kyi to come up with long-term solutions for the violence-driven, ethnically and religiously divided Rakhine state, said perpetrators of rights abuses should be held accountable or risk the deteriorating of the situation.

The Rohingya are denied citizenship in Myanmar and regarded as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots that date back centuries.