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Myanmar military says death toll in clashes almost 400
[Al Ahram] Myanmar's military says almost 400 people have died in recent violence in the western state of Rakhine triggered by attacks on security forces by Lions of Islam from the Rohingya ethnic minority.The numbers, posted Friday on the Facebook page of the country's military commander, are a sharp increase over the previously reported toll of just over 100. The statement said all but 29 of the 399 dead were Lion of Islams, whom it described as terrorists. The statement said there had been 90 armed festivities including an initial 30 attacks by Lions of Islam on Aug. 25, making the combat more extensive than previously announced. The army, responding to the Aug. 25 attacks, launched what it called clearance operations against the Lion of Islams. Advocates for the Rohingya, an oppressed Moslem minority in overwhelmingly Buddhist Myanmar, say security forces attacked and burned Rohingya villages, shooting civilians and causing others to flee. Hundreds of civilians have been killed, they say. Tens of thousands have fled into neighboring Bangladesh, an exodus that continued Friday. Bangladeshi border guards have tried to keep them out, but thousands could be seen Friday making their way across muddy rice fields. Posted by: Fred 2017-09-02 |
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